Annotated photos of impalas and other bovids mislabelled as impalas on the Web

There are tens of thousands of photos labelled as impalas (Aepyceros) on the Web.

I spent today trawling through them, with two search-images.

Firstly, I sought photos particularly illustrative of various features of adaptive colouration.

Secondly, I sought the valuable photos among those of other bovids mislabelled as impalas or in other ways - of which there are thousands in their own right. These photos have been effectively 'buried' in the electronic record, but here I bring some of them back out into the light.

The following shows the VERTICALLY-PILOERECTED CAUDAL FLAG in Aepyceros melampus. The shape formed by the white hairs of the tail is similar to that of a butcher's cleaver. Unlike other ruminants, A. melampus possesses not a tassel but instead a jointed feather-tassel. The joint defines the right-angle distally, and the metaphorical blade of the cleaver is formed by piloerection perpendicular to the lateral plane:
https://www.dreamstime.com/impala-aepyceros-melampus-tarangire-national-park-tanzania-image301986232

The following shows how completely the jointed feather-tassel of A. melampus can remain hidden (by a lack of piloerection), even when the tail is untucked:
https://www.dreamstime.com/young-impala-fawn-standing-its-head-turned-toward-camera-kruger-national-park-south-africa-aepyceros-melampus-image150292156

The following shows the PENICILLATE CAUDAL FLAG in Aepyceros melampus. The distal joint in the jointed feather-tassel is open, without any other piloerection. In this case, the behaviour being flagged is micturition in adult males:
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-male-impala-side-kruger-national-park-south-africa-image77200245
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-male-impala-side-kruger-national-park-south-africa-image77199044

The following show the PEDAL FLAG of Aepyceros melampus particularly clearly. A main point to note is that, although impalas have distinct, complex, and subtle colouration, it is the pallor on the pasterns that advertise the figures:
https://www.dreamstime.com/impala-aepyceros-melampus-mother-young-masai-mara-park-kenya-image196850640
https://www.dreamstime.com/male-common-impala-stands-sunny-riverbank-image274387907

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-male-impala-rear-view-oxpecker-its-back-kruger-park-image81883072

https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-images-impala-ram-image21409539

https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-young-impala-image24382208

https://www.dreamstime.com/impala-antelopes-waterhole-kruger-national-park-aepyceros-melampus-south-africa-image288451164

Publicado el 02 de febrero de 2024 por