Aurochs

Aurochs meaning refers to the name of an extinct animal that belonged to the family called Bovidae. They are classified as a wild ox. In the modern age, cattle are descended from these animals. Aurochs are spelled as aurochs. This wild ox had a strong build and was very heavy. The species was an inhabitant of Europe, Asia and North Africa. The species is known for its body mass. The species is considered as a recently extinct species; the last recorded history of the aurochs dates back to the 16th century in Europe, they were spotted in 1627 in the forest called  Jaktorów Forest in Poland. 

The scientific name of the species is Bos primigenius, they were among the most widespread grazing animals, the population estimated for these animals were higher than any known cattle. The reason that attributed to the extinction of the animal was primarily the increase in human settlements, the second most important reason was the increase in the population of domestic cattle. Since the human settlements increased exponentially the need for milk and meat increased which led to increased domestication of cattle. This resulted in high interspecies competition and ultimately led to the extinction of the animal. 

Since these animals are considered as recently extinct animals, the morphological, anatomical and genetic features of the species are known and there are various attempts of regenerating the extinct species. The phylogenetic studies conducted on the animal led to the observation that the animals were domesticated twice during their existence. The first domestication led to the formation of the zebu cattle which are found in South Asia. The second domestication of wild ox led to the formation of taurine cattle that are more commonly found in Europe. 

The repetitive domestication and domination of the animal species is the reason that they are considered the ancestral species of all known cattle. Apart from their evolutionary importance, the auroch is known to have an important impact on human civilization. Aurochs are depicted in the Lascaux cave painting of France. These paintings date back to almost 1700 years ago, they are also vividly described during the reign of Julius Caesar. 

The article focuses on the general description of the animal. The taxonomic classification, morphological description, habitat and ecology of the animal is also described. The article also discusses the cause of extinction, predators and the life cycle of the animal. 

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Figure: illustrating the structure of aurochs

Aurochs Scientific Name

The scientific name of aurochs according to the binomial nomenclature is Bos primigenius. The name has a Latin origin, the name signifies the ancestral nature of the animal. The common name of the animal which is aurochs or aurochs has a German origin. Urus is the alternative name used to describe the wild ox. According to the binomial nomenclature, the first name signifies the name of the genus, the auroch belongs to the genus Bos, this genus consists of all the wild and domesticated cattle. There is a variety of aurochs; one such common example is Indian aurochs. They are also distantly related to animals like buffalo, cows and goats. The relationship between these animals will be evident in the taxonomic classification.

Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomy is the branch of science that deals with the classification of organisms into different units based on their similarities and dissimilarities. The taxonomic classification is important to study because it provides insights about the species and species relationship, it also provides the understanding of phylogenetic relationships. An animal undergoes various adaptations during the course of evolution and these adaptive changes are also studied through the taxonomic classification of the animal. The taxonomic classification of the wild ox, aurochs is mentioned below.

The animals are categorized into the kingdom Animalia, the members of this kingdom are multicellular organisms with eukaryotic cell types, the kingdom is further classified into phylum. They are categorized into the phylum called Chordata, the basic feature of this phylum is the presence of the notochord. There are five basic requirements to be classified as chordate, which are as follows, presence of a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail. These synapomorphies must be present during any stage of the life cycle. All the properties present in the auroch are thus rightfully categorized into the phylum.

The phylum is further classified into classes, they belong to the class Mammalia. The characteristic feature of the class is the ability to give birth to progeny. Another important feature is the presence of the mammary glands in the female member of the class. The mammary glands are associated with a high level of parental care. Some of their other distinguishing features include the presence of a neocortex, a region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle ear bones. All these features are prominent in the auroch species, they have mammary glands and provide parental care to the progeny. The class is further classified into orders.

Aurochs belong to the order called Artiodactyla, this order is known to consist of even-toed ungulates. The characteristic feature of this order is that weight is equally distributed among two toes, they consist of five toes. The rest three toes are considered as vestigial toes, this case holds true for the wild ox, the aurochs. It is interesting to note that all the cattle are classified under this order. The order is further classified into families.

The family on which these animals are classified is known as Bovidae. Some of the common members of this family are, African buffalo, water buffalo, antelopes, sheep, goats, muskoxen, and domestic cattle. All Bovids have more or less similar anatomy, they have a snout with a blunt end, and possess horns. The shape and size of the horn vary from species to species, the aurochs were believed to have large horns. Most of the bovids exhibit sexual dimorphism which is true for the aurochs.

They are further classified into subfamilies, the auroch species like Indian aurochs belong to the Bovinae. The subfamilies consist of 10 different genres, the common examples of animals that are classified into this family apart from auroch is domestic cattle, bison, African buffalo, and the water buffalo.  The subfamily is further divided into genres.

The aurochs belong to a genus called Bos, the genus contains both domestic and wild cattle. The genus is further divided into 4 subgenera, which includes Bos, Bibos, Novibos, and Poephagus. The characteristic feature of all these subgenera is, mostly all the members are grazers, have large teeth. The members of this genus are ruminants that have a four-chambered stomach. All these characteristics are prominent in the aurochs and subspecies, like Indian aurochs.

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Figure illustrating auroch

Morphological Features

Aurochs have similar characteristics to those of domesticated cattle, but they are much larger in comparison to domesticated cattle. The average size of aurochs varied according to their habitat. An important point to notice here is that irrespective of the subspecies and geographical location the sexual dimorphism is strongly expressed. 

Although they share a resemblance with modern cattle they have prominently longer legs, a bigger skull, broad horns, and massive shoulder muscles. The fur colour of these animals is black, brown or brown with a white stripe running down the spine. The height of the organism is estimated up to six feet, the average weight of the wild ox, measured between 1,500 and 3,000 pounds depending upon the species.

The female cows are much smaller and weigh less in comparison to the male members of the species (bull ). Sexual dimorphism can also be seen in the horns, the horns of cows are much smaller as compared to the bulls. The horns of females are generally lighter in colour than male horns. Because they have massive horns, the frontal bones are elongated and broad. The Aurochs' horns can grow up to 80 cm which is approximately 31 inches in length. The diameter can range up to 10 to 20 cm which is approximately 3.9 and 7.9 inches.

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Figure: illustrating the skeletal system of auroch

Behavioural Traits

Since these animals are extinct the behavioural traits of the animal are inferred from descriptions from the historical records and the behaviour of modern cattle. The aurochs are believed to live in herding groups. The herd consists of about 30 individuals. The herds consist of members belonging to the same sex, the herd congregation can last up to 6 to 9 months. They are generally considered clam animals. Upon provocation they can severely harm the prey, they were also reported to be involved in fighting, the bulls are particularly more aggressive compared to the females. 

They were considered seasonal breeders, the mating season ranges from late summer or early autumn. The mating probability was highest for the dominant male, the intraspecies competition was high. To assert dominance the bulls used to fight with the competitor, which sometimes led to the death of either of the competitors. An interesting fact about these animals is that both males and females engage in fights and display social status. 

The cognition abilities of these animals were not very high, according to evolutionary scientists they protected the members of the herd. They had different vocalizations to communicate with each other.

Habitat

They were primarily the inhabitants of the Eurasian supercontinent. Some of the subspecies Indian aurochs,  Bos primigenius namadicus, were found in the Indian subcontinent. Another subspecies called Bos primigenius Africanus were primarily the inhabitant of the Northern region of Africa, that extended from Morocco to Egypt. The common habitat of aurochs included grasslands, floodplains, and lightly forested woodlands in temperate climates. It is important to note that the sustenance of these animals required large grazing areas.

Diet

Aurochs are classified as herbivorous animals, these animals graze over large landmasses. The diet of these animals mainly included grasses, twigs, and even acorns. It is important to understand that since they are ruminant animals, they can ferment a diet that has cellulose easily and extract nutrients from it. The stomach also has an anatomical modification. They have four chambers of the stomach to digest the food. This anatomical modification is still observed in the cows and buffaloes.

Reproduction

They are sexually reproducing organisms. The fertilization process is internal, that is the male and female gamete fuse inside the female reproductive tract. Since they are considered mammals, parental care is supposedly high for the offspring of this species. 

They are seasonal breeders and mating usually took place in early summer and autumn. The gestation period of these animals ranges to several months. The litter size is very small, the females give birth to a single calve in a single mating. 

The fur colour of the newly born is lighter and usually darkens after some time, they can live in the herd or can join other herds. It is inferred that sexual maturity is attained after 2 to 3 years of birth, the average life span of the aurochs and their subspecies is about 20 years.

Extinction

Aurochs are a group of recently extinct species, the aurochs meaning refers to the group of the wild ox. The last record of the animal was in the 16th century. The two main reasons that lead to the extinction of these formidable beasts, is the increased domestication and increase in human settlements. 

An increase in the population of humans led to an increase in the settlement by deforestation. This caused habitat loss of these animals, it is evident from the discussion that these animals require large grazing areas to sustain their life. Increased inhibition by humans led to a decrease in the grazing areas. 

The domestication of the wild cattle led to the development of the cattle that are found today, but due to increased selective breeding, the ancestral species of aurochs slowly came to the verge of extinction. Increased domestication, habitat loss, hunting and environmental changes all contributed to the extinction of the species.

Summary: At a Glance

• Aurochs meaning refers to the wild ox that is classified under a family called Bovidae.

• The scientific name of the animal is Bos primigenius.

• The most extraordinary feature was its size.

• They lived in groups called herds.

• The average body weight is 1,360kg.

• The average life span is 20 years.

• They were found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

• They are an extinct species.