Characteristics
The Cuvier’s gazelle is one of the darkest and smallest of the gazelle species, standing 60–69 cm (2.0–2.26 ft) tall, with an average weight of 35 kg (77 lb). It is characterized by a distinctive wide, dark band that runs along the sides of the animal, which separates the brown dorsal parts from the white ventral parts. While both sexes have horns between 10 and 15 cm (3.9 and 5.9 in) long, the males' are more ribbed and have greater mass. Also they possess long, slender ears.
The purpose of the dark bands that run parallel along the side of the animal is to aid in countershading, having ventral body pelage that is more lightly colored that the dorsal surface. This may reduce the shadows produced by the animal’s body. The sun shining downward on the animal will cause an unequal distribution of light, disrupting the pattern created by its silhouette. The darker colors compared to other gazelles could be explained by its shadier habitats.
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