Previously overlooked expansions of the 'bles' in the blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi), signifying full maturity, beyond adulthood

Many photos of the blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) show individuals in which

• the whitish on the forehead has expanded, connecting to that on the rostrum,
• a streak of pale pelage has appeared on the cheeks, ultimately connecting the whitish of the rostrum to that of the base of the ear, and
• pale has also appeared on the orbits (particularly above the eyes, https://www.dreamstime.com/beautiful-blesbok-antelope-white-face-standing-green-field-beautiful-blesbok-antelope-white-face-standing-image265943449), and/or on the crown.

This spreading of the facial bleeze - which I have not seen mentioned in the literature - may possibly be a sign of age (exceeding ten years). This is indicated by the fact that many of the photos concerned are of captive specimens.

The ultimate result is seen in https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70027286.

Most of the photos below refer to females, but males also show this pattern (e.g. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141372682 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32952125 and https://www.flickr.com/photos/holtphoto/11667853505/in/photolist-iM3Nm2-6TeDse-29Yu8yw-GQHdeu-QzVdjX-e6MgFY-2gjCi6T-H9VkFH-5oDPzj-ASgX6y-H7BJzh-pi4vHm-eYXy2U-5f8mw4-bFbjtX-YaJrFP-pHAQwC-24MnFrZ-71RcCB-csqwjA-3yg1Bw-4GLgxP-6UtPYS-5QZpnc-6DNMdK-37BsTy-dM3YJg-2nbqYFY-275Jw9t-C55EVf-apLdKb-rDKi6z-qtrvU-2nidniQ-o3mr2c-2jjUxYq-2hsDGV3-2hsGrgp-2iGfCyR-HfX4Cz-qtwsg8-ApjDMc-2jfZf6T-zEj283-qpGt6C-bt1qDP-dcWPMW-nQmxok-qFeiSy-2bW3UGB).

We now know of at least three aspects of the colouration of the blesbok that show particular depigmentation, compared to the bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus), viz.

• horns in males,
• the distal part of the tail-tassel in both sexes (https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/milewski/75827-a-previously-overlooked-difference-between-the-blesbok-and-the-bontebok#), and
• the facial bleeze (in full maturity).

The pattern on the cheeks, described here, occurs also in the bontebok (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/27251980). However, it is faint and uncommon in that subspecies.

https://www.dreamstime.com/herd-blesbuck-antelope-standing-dried-out-long-grass-field-landscape-south-african-bushveld-blesbok-antelopes-rocky-dull-image182816487

https://www.dreamstime.com/blesbok-antelope-damaliscus-pygargus-standing-grass-blesbok-antelope-damaliscus-pygargus-standing-grass-pilsen-czech-image181373022

https://www.dreamstime.com/blesbok-lying-grass-blesbok-image265633507

https://www.flickr.com/photos/holtphoto/11667853505/in/photolist-iM3Nm2-6TeDse-29Yu8yw-GQHdeu-QzVdjX-e6MgFY-2gjCi6T-H9VkFH-5oDPzj-ASgX6y-H7BJzh-pi4vHm-eYXy2U-5f8mw4-bFbjtX-YaJrFP-pHAQwC-24MnFrZ-71RcCB-csqwjA-3yg1Bw-4GLgxP-6UtPYS-5QZpnc-6DNMdK-37BsTy-dM3YJg-2nbqYFY-275Jw9t-C55EVf-apLdKb-rDKi6z-qtrvU-2nidniQ-o3mr2c-2jjUxYq-2hsDGV3-2hsGrgp-2iGfCyR-HfX4Cz-qtwsg8-ApjDMc-2jfZf6T-zEj283-qpGt6C-bt1qDP-dcWPMW-nQmxok-qFeiSy-2bW3UGB

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/128960710

https://www.gettyimages.pt/detail/foto/lonely-african-blesbok-antelope-imagem-royalty-free/93047550?adppopup=true

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/77675104

https://www.shutterstock.com/it/image-photo/antelope-wild-blesbok-blesbuck-lying-down-2223739221

https://www.superstock.com/asset/blesbok-damaliscus-pygargus-phillipsi-standing-mlilwane-wildlife-sanctuary-swaziland-africa/1566-12911195

https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/blesbuck-in-mlilwane-wildlife-sanctuary-swaziland-gm1182434638-332026999?phrase=blesbok%20male

https://www.shutterstock.com/it/image-photo/blesbok-antelope-damaliscus-pygargus-standing-grass-1329980801

https://www.euro-t-guide.com/See_Photo/Denmark/JUT-M_Grenaa/Ree_Park_Ebeltoft-2008-14.jpg

https://depositphotos.com/635653818/stock-photo-blesbok-blesbuck-damaliscus-pygargus-phillipsi.html

https://www.shutterstock.com/it/image-photo/blesbok-latin-name-damaliskus-dorcas-phillipsi-360070883

https://www.shutterstock.com/it/image-photo/group-blesbuck-mlilwane-wildlife-sanctuary-scenery-1536515885

https://www.shutterstock.com/it/image-photo/blesbok-latin-name-damaliskus-dorcas-phillipsi-290826794

https://www.shutterstock.com/it/image-photo/blesbuck-grazing-on-green-grass-1275827710

https://dewetswild.com/2016/06/23/blesbok/#jp-carousel-52456

https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/blesbuck-in-mlilwane-wildlife-sanctuary-swaziland-gm1182437686-332029264?phrase=blesbok%20male

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35368437

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124183870

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-image-blesbok-close-up-antelope-eating-image30613991 and https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-blesbok-close-up-antelope-image30613954

Please note the extremely long horns, indicating advanced age, in the central figure in https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34887688

Also see https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/milewski/75748-adaptive-colouration-in-the-blesbok-damaliscus-pygargus-phillipsi# and https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/78685-the-overlooked-complexity-of-facial-markings-in-genus-damaliscus#.

For an index to my many Posts about the genus Damaliscus, please see https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/milewski/78238-an-index-to-my-posts-on-genus-damaliscus#.

Posted on March 1, 2023 09:23 PM by milewski