the ancestors of the domestic goat originated in iran.
the ancestors of the domestic goat originated in iran.
where did the ancestors of the domestic goat originate?
iran
the subfamily caprinae are ruminants, consisting of mostly medium-sized bovids. its members also are known as caprids. the domestic sheep and goats have both been well known in china. other caprinae known in china are types called "antelopes", or "goat-antelopes" since they are not true antelopes (a true antelope is a bovid with a cervid-like or antilocaprid-like morphology). most goat-antelopes are gregarious and have fairly stocky builds. the lifestyles of caprids fall into two broad classes: 'resource-defenders', which are territorial and defend a small, food-rich area against other members of the same species; and 'grazers', which gather together into herds and roam freely over a larger, usually relatively infertile area. species in the area of china include the urial ("ovis orientalis") which occupies a largely infertile area from kashmir to iran, including much desert country characteristic of the historic western regions. the european mouflon ("ovis musimon") is thought to be the ancestor of the modern domestic sheep ("ovis aries"), and was historically herded by the xiong nu, and other population groups located in or near china. the domestic goat ("capra aegagrus hircus") is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest asia and eastern europe. another species historically found wild in parts of china include the serow and the goral.
bovidae in chinese mythology
certain authors have postulated that the markhor is the ancestor of some breeds of domestic goat. the angora goat has been regarded by some as a direct descendant of the central asian markhor. charles darwin postulated that modern goats arose from crossbreeding markhor with wild goats. evidence for markhors crossbreeding with domestic goats has been found. one study suggested that 35.7% of captive markhors in the analysis (ranging from three different zoos) had mitochondrial dna from domestic goats. other authors have put forth the possibility of markhor being the ancestor of some egyptian goat breeds, due to their similar horns, though the lack of an anterior keel on the horns of the markhor belies any close relationship. the changthangi domestic goat of ladakh and tibet may derive from the markhor. the girgentana goat of sicily is thought to have been bred from markhor, as is the bilberry goat of ireland. the kashmiri feral herd of about 200 individuals on the great orme limestone headland of wales are derived from a herd maintained at windsor great park belonging to queen victoria.
markhor