What physical feature immediately identifies the Zebu cattle lineage?
Answer
A mass of fatty tissue supported by bone situated over the shoulders
The most immediate and distinctive identifier of the Zebu type is the prominent shoulder hump. This structure is composed of fatty tissue supported internally by bone structure situated directly above the shoulders. This trait is largely absent in the European cattle variety, *Bos taurus taurus*. While other morphological features like the dewlap and specific skin characteristics contribute to distinguishing Zebus, the hump is cited as the primary, readily observable physical marker that sets the Zebu grouping apart from other members of the *Bos* genus.
Related Questions
What physical feature immediately identifies the Zebu cattle lineage?What is the accepted subspecies designation for Zebu within *Bos taurus*?What genetic reality supports classifying Zebu and European cattle as subspecies?Which extinct wild bovine lineage is the common ancestor of Zebu and European cattle?Where did the domestication event for Zebu (*B. taurus indicus*) primarily occur?Which morphological feature in Zebu aids significantly in thermoregulation?Which Zebu-derived composite breed is very common in the Americas?Within which taxonomic Family are Zebus grouped alongside goats and sheep?How does the skin structure of Zebu generally contrast with *Bos taurus taurus*?Which specific Zebu breed is noted for high milk yield compared to draft types?