Kting voar

The spiral horn antelope ( Pseudonovibos spiralis ) is an antelope of South East Asia, whose existence is disputed. As never got to face a scientist this animal, mainly deals with the cryptozoology of this antelope. However, there are also recognized zoologists, keep the Pseudonovibos for an as yet undiscovered species that is hiding in the rainforests. Also in German - and English-language literature, the animal is often called by his Vietnamese name Linh Duong, or at its Cambodian name Kting Voar.

Evidence for the existence

On the basis of 14 horns, which were found in the northeast of Cambodia, described the German zoologist Alfred Feiler and Wolfgang Peter 1994, the new Art These horns are now in the Museum of Zoology Dresden. Thereafter, many other horns of the enigmatic antelope in Vietnam and Cambodia were acquired, often from pharmacies where horns of this rare species was said to have medicinal qualities. However, many of these horns have now been exposed as fakes. At present, it is checked whether the horns forgeries were used for species description.

Macdonald and Yang presented in 1997 a collection of Chinese texts from the 14th to the 18th century, the evidence of the spiral horn antelope could contain.

Assumed characteristics and lifestyle

The horns have jointly considered the shape of a lyre. You are directed outwards and upwards, before they turn in the last quarter inward and describe a small spiral. The horn length varies between 30 cm and 55 cm; probably the biggest horns male specimens are attributable. From the nature and size of the horns you close to an animal with a shoulder height of 110 cm and a weight of 250 kg. According to local hunters, the spiral horn antelope has a solid black gray fur.

The systematic allocation of a little-known animal is of course difficult. Here you based on descriptions from Chinese sources that outline an animal that resembles the short-tailed gazelles, to be lodged perhaps in its vicinity. However, the spiral horn antelope is obviously larger and heavier. A classification for the gazelle -like can only be done on a speculative basis. Others ordered pursuant to (but is undoubted ) a DNA studies in the caprine and cattle, with the aforementioned classification on in the laboratory with DNA of chamois to be due contaminated samples.

The habitat of the spiral horn antelope are obviously dense rainforests. Locals claim that this beast of poisonous snakes and nourishing it resultiere the healing effect of the horns as a remedy for snake bites. Such information may, however, be very doubtful.

Fake or real beings?

Whether the spiral horn antelope really exists or just a figment of the imagination is, remains controversial. Some zoologists keep the detected counterfeit for a sufficient reason, Pseudonovibos spiralis a synonym of Bos taurus to explain ( the Cattle ); However, there remain the reports of the locals about this animal and those horns which have not been recognized as forgeries. In addition to the animal live in a region where in the 1990 another previously unknown ungulate species were discovered, including the Saola ( Pseudoryx nghetinhensis ) and the Riesenmuntjak ( Muntiacus vuquangensis ). Therefore, it is not entirely unlikely that the spiral horn antelope native to this inaccessible region. The IUCN has awarded the animal threatened precaution status.

By now, Alexandre Hassanin ( Université Pierre & Marie Curie, Paris) demonstrated, on the basis of RNA sequence analysis shows that it is horns of three different types are in the present alleged horns of the spiral horn antelope: Bos taurus, Bubalus bubalis and Saiga tatarica. This study confirms previous suspicions that it is the first description of the underlying material to be counterfeit. The investigation results indicate to realize that the spiral horn antelope does not exist.

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