Blue wildebeest is placed in the family Bovidae, ruminant animals with cloven hooves. The generic name "Connochaetes" derives from the Greek words κόννος, kónnos, "beard", and χαίτη, khaítē, "flowing hair", "mane". The specific name "taurinus" originates from the Greek word "tauros", which means a bull or bullock. The common name "blue wildebeest" refers to the conspicuous, silvery-blue sheen of the coat, while the alternative name "gnu" originates from the name for these animals used by the Khokloi people, a native pastoralist people of southwestern Africa. Though the blue and black wildebeest are currently classified in the same genus, the latter was previously
Wildebeest (comics) took control of the Wildebeest Society. Under the leadership of Jericho, the Wildebeest Society began conducting a series of genetic chemical-organic experiments to create the perfect host bodies for the evil spirits to possess. They began their genetic alterations on humans and animals. All of their experiments failed except for the human/panther hybrid labeled X-24 (who later became Pantha) which escaped and vowed vengeance on the Wildebeest Society. Jericho then staged an elaborate "Titans Hunt" to capture current and former members of the Teen Titans in order to acquire host bodies to contain the souls of Azarath when their experiments