The overlooked complexity of facial markings in genus Damaliscus

@michalsloviak Have you ever heard of this (presumably extinct) form?

Reference: Haltenorth and Diller (1980, https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1491209), page 81.

Subspecies phallus, of the korrigum/jimela group of Damaliscus, occurred on the Uasin Gishu plateau, east of Mount Elgon in Kenya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uasin_Gishu_County).

In 'old' males of this subspecies, the 'front of face' is 'light to brownish-white to white'.

This implies a tone-inversion on the rostrum of the face, partially convergent with that in Damaliscus pygargus.

Dear Anthony,

I don't always have time to look at all your comments. Now I saw it.
I would be very careful with research based on images from platforms such as gettyimages, shutterstock, istockphoto, stock-adobe or flickr and similar. Because it may contradict what the literature, scientific papers or taxonomic revisions states. Over the years, various changes occur in some isolated populations, including in coloring, which once did not exist (because the transfer of genes between populations was simple, today there are human settlements everywhere, destroyed habitats, barriers preventing migration ...). So, it does not always mean that we are dealing with some new taxon, or that signs are shown that corresponded to the descriptions of 100 years ago. But paradoxically, this is how various hybrid populations appear, which was caused only by human activity and carelessness. In this it is already very important to provide genetic analyses, although I am not a big fan. Basically, you have no guarantee where exactly the given image comes from. They are resources that sell photos, not only of animals. Not everyone who photographs animals in the wild is able to record in detail what they took, where and when, especially if they include thousands of images in one trip. Most commercial photographers are just like that. So it is not realistically possible to base any hypotheses on it. Because, for example, in the case of huge territories, it is very questionable. I have already mentioned it somewhere, certainly repeatedly, that it is irrelevant to rely on photos from the Internet for such research, based mainly on exterior features, often on color changes and others (unless the location is guaranteed). With the exception of iNaturalist, it is very uncertain to trace the exact locations, localities, habitats of photographed animals. So, if I were to do something similar to you, I would draw exclusively on photos from people who move in the given terrain (and especially regularly), so that it would at least have such an informative value. I understand that it would be more time-consuming, maybe even more demanding, but definitely more believable. You need to get those images of individual populations with the shortest possible time horizon. Because complex changes occur even in populations over the years, and gene flows are not always easy to determine precisely.

The subspecies phallus/phalius is known to me. But, as in the case of hundreds of other taxa from that period, these are only synonyms today. It is more than likely that the original populations of this described taxon either no longer exist at all, or if there were small remnants of them, they were probably eliminated by hybridization (performed by the Kenya Wildlife Service, due to several translocations from the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem in the 80s-90s). And many of those descriptions are based on a single specimen from a museum, and history has shown that it wasn't always directly from the sites the authors claimed. Samples of skins, skulls, whole animals were obtained in different ways in the past, often from hunter, dealers or soldiers, and unlike today, when we have modern technology, it was not always clear where the sample came from. Therefore, over the years, for example, the borders of the areas of distribution of individual taxa differ considerably from many sources, and were adjusted (they are still adjusted today). Even the IUCN does not always use the most accurate locations of occurrence for all species, which was also confirmed through iNaturalist.

Your work is remarkable, but unfortunately few people follow it. Therefore, in the end (I don't want to offend anyone, especially not you) I don't feel that iNaturalist is the most suitable place for various such professional considerations. Because among the many users who add IDs to the observations of certain taxa, unfortunately, especially recently, there are people who really have no knowledge of taxonomy and the determination of individual species/subspecies. Although you can see that they can click on thousands of IDs, they can think how easily and quickly they can recognize and determine taxa, and their names shine near some taxa as the best identificators, but in the confrontation of arguments, when they have to explain something, or at least state their point of view ... they remain silent.

@milewski

Since 2022, I've posted a few of your ideas and thoughts on other social media sites (e.g. Reddit, Twitter, & Discord), directly linking your iNaturalist journal. So indeed, many people (including young people who have taken an interest in the natural world) are now fascinated by your insights and viewpoints, even those who don't even use iNaturalist.

https://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/item/142012673-two-tsessebe-antelopes-muddy-waterhole-mokala-national-park

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-topi-antelopes-looking-towards-camera-resembles-hartebeest-differs-dark-purple-patchings-their-upper-legs-lack-image39101333

https://www.alamy.com/blue-wildebeest-connochaetes-taurinus-with-newborn-calf-serengeti-image62191277.html?imageid=E6B6C012-1BE0-426A-A7E0-ACCF0E3E6A1B&p=53661&pn=1&searchId=e1c83791dbb28b2649d55bb669e0fbda&searchtype=0

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-blesbok-close-up-antelope-damaliscus-pygargus-phillipsi-image77618287

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-close-up-profile-of-a-blesbok-damaliscus-albifrons-14685442.html

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-blesbok-latin-name-damaliskus-dorcas-phillipsi-image55913212

https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-african-blesbok-image27506227

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

Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi:

The following (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/161790575) shows an adult female individual with a juvenile individual about six months old.

Please note the extensive whitish on the cheeks of the adult, suggesting an age greater than eight years.

This expansion of the facial bleeze has seldom been photographed in the natural habitat of the blesbok (as opposed to zoos).

Alcelaphins are quite remarkable

@michalsloviak

I have found what is perhaps the only photo on the Web of the feature I mentioned above, in subspecies phalius of the clade of Damaliscus korrigum/jimela/topi.

https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/lyra-antelope-lyre-antelope-topi-topis-sassabies-damaliscus-lunatus-antelopes-ungulates-mammals-animals-topi-adult-feeding-on-grazing/IBR-5516093/1

https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/topi-damaliscus-lunatus-adult-feeding-on-grass-close-up-of-head-masai-mara-kenya/FHR-11182-00112-676/1

This photo, showing partial conversion to whitish on the usually blackish rostrum, was ostensibly taken in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. This is subspecies jimela, but it may retain, in a few individuals, the tendency reported in the now-extinct population on the Uasin Gishu plateau near Eldoret.

In case this photo vanishes from the Web, I describe the pattern verbally as follows.

The photo shows the face of an adult male individual in full-frontal view.

Colouration is fairly normal except for the section of the rostrum from the preorbital glands to two-thirds of the way from these glands to the rhinarium. In this section, the normally blackish pelage has an infusion of whitish hairs, so dense that the tone has been converted to pale grey.

Although the remaining dark surfaces are fairly normal, they are relatively restricted in the following aspects:
a) the surface from the rhinarium to one-third of the way to the preorbital glands is medium in tone, not blackish (however, it shows no infusion of whitish hairs);
b) there is no trace of the dark feature on the cheeks, exemplified in https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/topi-damaliscus-lunatus-adult-close-up-of-head-with-mud-on-horns-masai-mara-kenya/FHR-11182-00121-833/1; and
c) the dark on the forehead is narrow compared to e.g. https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/topi-tsessebi-korrigum-tsessebe-damaliscus-lunatus-jimela-portrait-of-two-topis-kenya-masai-mara-national-park/BWI-BS412476/1.

The abnormal section of the rostrum, infused with whitish hairs, forms a longitudinal strip, but this is not merely rectangular. The strip is twice as broad at its distal as at its proximal end, and also forms slight 'lobes' at its distal (broad) end.

Please note that, in jimela, there is individual variation in the darkness of the pelage adjacent to the rhinarium on its proximal side. In a few individuals, the blackish of the rostrum extends all the way to the rhinarium. In most, the pelage adjacent to the rhinarium is fairly pale, i.e. brown, and not even dark brown. The specimen in question conforms to the latter.

In summary, the specimen of jimela in this unique photo shows not only an infusion of whitish on much of the rostrum, but also a limited development of the dark surfaces on the rostrum, forehead, and cheeks.

https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/topi-damaliscus-lunatus-jimela-masai-mara-kenya/YP6-2516836/1

https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/topi-damaliscus-lunatus-jimela-adult-feeding-close-up-of-head-looking-over-shoulder-serengeti-n-p-tanzania-november/FHR-11182-00125-852/1

@michalsloviak

The topi occurs in Ruma National Park (formerly Lambwe Valley Game Reserve). Do you know if it was introduced there, and, if so, from where?

Shift

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/kenya-masai-mara-park-reserve-lion-and-bovidae-topi-on-news-photo/89172472?adppopup=true

@michalsloviak

The following, also in Maasai Mara National Reserve, shows an adult female individual with a similar, partial, conversion of the rostrum to grey:

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/beautiful-topi-standing-with-young-calf-in-maasai-royalty-free-image/1468607318?phrase=topi+antelope&adppopup=true

Again, the dark crescentic marking on the cheek is absent in this individual, despite being present in most individuals in this population.

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/male-impalas-and-topi-royalty-free-image/519948262?phrase=topi+antelope&adppopup=true

Shift

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/topi-royalty-free-image/857201970?phrase=topi+antelope&adppopup=true

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/wildebeest-zebra-and-topi-royalty-free-image/1393176435?phrase=topi+antelope&adppopup=true

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/lioness-and-topi-masai-mara-national-reserve-kenya-royalty-free-image/98724323?phrase=topi+antelope&adppopup=true

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/topi-masai-mara-national-reserve-kenya-east-africa-royalty-free-image/97391930?phrase=topi+antelope&adppopup=true

Does Damaliscus lunatus lunatus have an anterior auricular flag?

https://dissolve.com/stock-photo/Okavango-Delta-Botswana-Close-Common-royalty-free-image/101-D256-26-038

https://coreenkuhnphotography.com/2022/02/17/bontebok-national-park-bontebok-50/

The following photos of Damaliscus jimela show the adjustment of the main hair-panel on the anterior surface of the ear pinnae, presumably in reaction to the temperature of the air.

Panel mainly closed, presumably under cool conditions:

https://www.alamy.com/topi-portrait-damaliscus-lunatus-masai-mara-national-reserve-kenya-image333981016.html?imageid=5F01FDFD-6865-45F8-B5AB-18C665A44955&p=190655&pn=1&searchId=e4a80567726b2329ea71395d057e71cf&searchtype=0

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/8010151

Panel mainly open, presumably under warm conditions:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-topi-tsessebe-damaliscus-lunatus-masai-mara-national-reserve-kenya-28994479.html?imageid=DDAD653D-7C31-4D89-A552-6BD15E572C0A&p=40779&pn=1&searchId=e4a80567726b2329ea71395d057e71cf&searchtype=0

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-topi-damaliscus-lunatus-masaii-mara-kenya-close-up-showing-eye-and-16866938.html?imageid=489DA24C-8696-4CB1-B0E6-2AB88C65594D&p=8586&pn=2&searchId=a3ae7f487df36bf9a754cdc9022690e8&searchtype=0

The following, of what is probably a hybrid between pygargus and phillipsi, shows the extension of white on to the crown:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-blesbok-damaliscus-dorcas-portrait-mokuti-etosha-lodge-namibia-87936339.html?imageid=F9524633-29C5-43FD-9092-C1ED958681C6&p=104079&pn=1&searchId=798d07205e132c3bcbdbb01855d0a786&searchtype=0

White spot on upper lip

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202780918