Which extinct wild bovine lineage is the common ancestor of Zebu and European cattle?
Answer
*Bos primigenius*
The ancestral source for both Zebu and European cattle lineages is the wild aurochs, scientifically named *Bos primigenius*. The evidence suggests that the domestication process, which occurred roughly ten thousand years ago, involved separate regional populations of the aurochs or a very rapid divergence shortly thereafter. One lineage eventually led to the Zebu in South Asia, and the other to the humpless cattle in the Near East. Understanding this shared origin is crucial because the long period of separation following the initial split allowed for the fixation of highly specialized adaptations in each group, such as the heat tolerance traits seen in Zebus.
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?