Barbary Sheep - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

A. lervia is the only species in the genus Ammotragus. However, some authors include this genus in the goat genus Capra, together with the sheep genus Ovis.

The subspecies are found allopatrically in various parts of North Africa:

• Ammotragus lervia lervia Pallas, 1777. (vulnerable)
• Egyptian Barbary Sheep Ammotragus lervia ornata I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827. (extinct in the wild)
• Ammotragus lervia sahariensis Rothschild, 1913. (vulnerable)
• Ammotragus lervia blainei Rothschild, 1913. (vulnerble)
• Ammotragus lervia angusi Rothschild, 1921. (vulnerable)
• Ammotragus lervia fassini Lepri, 1930. (vulnerable)