Dietary preferences in extant African Bovidae

Abstract

We present a synthesis of diet information for all 78 species of extant African Bovidae (excluding goats and sheep), based on an extensive survey of the literature. We compiled data on food types (percentages of fruits, dicotelydons, and monocotyledons), seasonal and geographic variability, and body mass. Information reported in the literature was evaluated critically to assess its reliability. We performed cluster analyses to identify 6 discrete dietary strategies: frugivores, browsers, generalists, browser-grazer intermediates, variable grazers, and obligate grazers. We identified a positive correlation between an increase in the proportion of monocots in the diet and body mass, and a negative correlation between increases in proportions of dicots and fruits and body mass. We found some degree of correspondence between taxonomic groupings and dietary strategies. Species in the tribes Alcelaphini, Hippotragini, and Reduncini have high proportions of monocots in their diets. Cephalophini, with the exception of Sylvicapra, are frugivores. Tragelaphini and Neotragini, with the exception of Ourebia, have diets that include high proportions of dicots.