Rhinoceros (genus)

Rhinoceros is a genus comprising one-horned rhinoceroses. This scientific name was proposed by Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus in 1758.<ref name=Linné>Template:Cite book</ref> The genus contains two species, the Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus). Although both members are threatened, the Javan rhinoceros is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world with only 60 individuals surviving in Java (Indonesia). The word 'rhinoceros' means "nose-horn" in Ancient Greek.Template:Clarify

Etymology

The genus name Rhinoceros comes from the Ancient Greek words ῥινο- (rhino-), meaning "of the nose" and κέρας (kerás), meaning "horn".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Classification

The genus Rhinoceros comprises:

• Indian rhinoceros (R. unicornis) Template:Small<ref name=Linné/> Indian subcontinent
• Javan rhinoceros (R. sondaicus) Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Southeast Asia
• †R. sivalensis Falconer and Cautley, 1846 northern Indian subcontinent (Siwalik Hills) Pliocene-Early Pleistocene
• †R. platyrhinus Falconer and Cautley 1847 syn Punjabitherium Khan (1971) Upper Siwaliks, Indian subcontinent, Early Pleistocene to early Middle Pleistocene, India. Largest species in the genus.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref>
• †R. sinensis Owen, 1870<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> has been used as a wastebasket taxon<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> used to refer to rhinoceros material from the Pleistocene of China, with various specimens belong to other Rhinoceros species, Dicerorhinus and Stephanorhinus,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> though it is possible that some remains attributed to Rhinoceros sinensis represents a valid and distinct species of Rhinoceros.<ref name=":1" />
• †R. sinhaleyus Deraniyagala, 1936 and †R. kagavena Deraniyagala, 1956 have both been found in Late Pleistocene strata in Sri Lanka.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The earliest remains of the genus are known from the Late Miocene, represented by remains such as an indeterminate species found in deposits in Myanmar dating to around 8-9 million years ago.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The species "Rhinoceros" philippinensis from the early Middle Pleistocene of the Philippines and "Rhinoceros" sinensis hayasakai from the Early-Middle Pleistocene of Taiwan have been transferred to Nesorhinus, which appears to be closely related to Rhinoceros.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref> While Rhinoceros fusuiensis Yan et al. 2014<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> from the Early Pleistocene of South China has been transferred to Dicerorhinus.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=Pandolfi2023>Template:Cite journal</ref>

 Relationships among Late Pleistocene and modern rhinoceros genera, based on nuclear DNA, after Liu et al, 2021:<ref name=":9">Template:Cite journal</ref> Template:CladeBayesian morphological phylogeny after Pandolfi, 2023 Note: This excludes living African rhinoceros species.<ref name=Pandolfi2023/> Template:Clade

External links

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