Arabian sand gazelle

Arabian sand gazelle
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Antilopinae
Genus:	Gazella
Species:	G. marica
Binomial name
	Gazella marica; (Thomas, 1897)
Synonyms[1]
	Gazella subgutturosa marica Thomas, 1897

The Arabian sand gazelle (Gazella marica) or rheem (Arabic: ريم‎)[2] is a species of gazelle native to the Middle East, specifically the Arabian and Syrian Deserts.

Distribution and conservation

Today it survives in the wild in small, isolated populations in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and southeastern Turkey. Small numbers may also be present in Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria. The total population of wild sand gazelles is thought to be less than 3,000. Significantly more are held in captivity, reserves, or breeding programs, perhaps more than 100,000.[1]

Taxonomy

Until recently, the sand gazelle was considered a subspecies of the goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), as Gazella subgutturosa marica. A 2010 genetic study established that it was a distinct lineage,[2] and it is now considered a separate species.[1] Further genetic analysis reported in 2012 found that the sand gazelle was closely related to two North African gazelles, Cuvier's gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) and the rhim (Gazella leptoceros), perhaps even belonging to a single species.[3]

References

IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2017). "Gazella marica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2017-2.rlts.t8977a50187738.en.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
Wacher, Timothy; Wronski, Torsten; Hammond, Robert L.; Winney, Bruce; Blacket, Mark J.; Hundertmark, Kris J.; Mohammed, Osama B.; Omer, Sawsan A.; Macasero, William (2010-11-27). "Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences reveals polyphyly in the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa)". Conservation Genetics. 12 (3): 827–831. doi:10.1007/s10592-010-0169-6. ISSN 1566-0621.
Hassanin, Alexandre; Delsuc, Frédéric; Ropiquet, Anne; Hammer, Catrin; Jansen van Vuuren, Bettine; Matthee, Conrad; Ruiz-Garcia, Manuel; Catzeflis, François; Areskoug, Veronika (2012). "Pattern and timing of diversification of Cetartiodactyla (Mammalia, Laurasiatheria), as revealed by a comprehensive analysis of mitochondrial genomes". Comptes Rendus Biologies. 335 (1): 32–50. doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2011.11.002. ISSN 1768-3238. PMID 22226162.

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[:0-1] IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2017). "Gazella marica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2017-2.rlts.t8977a50187738.en.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)

[:1-2] Wacher, Timothy; Wronski, Torsten; Hammond, Robert L.; Winney, Bruce; Blacket, Mark J.; Hundertmark, Kris J.; Mohammed, Osama B.; Omer, Sawsan A.; Macasero, William (2010-11-27). "Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences reveals polyphyly in the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa)". Conservation Genetics. 12 (3): 827–831. doi:10.1007/s10592-010-0169-6. ISSN 1566-0621.

[3] Hassanin, Alexandre; Delsuc, Frédéric; Ropiquet, Anne; Hammer, Catrin; Jansen van Vuuren, Bettine; Matthee, Conrad; Ruiz-Garcia, Manuel; Catzeflis, François; Areskoug, Veronika (2012). "Pattern and timing of diversification of Cetartiodactyla (Mammalia, Laurasiatheria), as revealed by a comprehensive analysis of mitochondrial genomes". Comptes Rendus Biologies. 335 (1): 32–50. doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2011.11.002. ISSN 1768-3238. PMID 22226162.