Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana) Fact Sheet: Physical Characteristics

Data source: Alkon (2013).

Body shape (from Alkon 2013 unless otherwise noted)

• Build
  • Stocky
  • Mid-sized ungulate
• Horns
  • Prominent, unbranched (Alkon 2013; Groves 2013)
  • Maximum length: 1384 mm (54.5 in)
  • Features
    • Strongly recurved (scimitar-shaped) (Habibi 1994)
    • Flattened face
    • Males with horizontal knobs; up to 30
    • Not shed, as occurs with deer (Groves 2013)
  • Composition
    • Bony core covered by a keratinous sheath (Groves 2013)
• Ears
  • Fronts with black centers and white edge
  • Backs gray
• Tail
  • Short and dark
• Legs
  • Short
  • Stout (Grubb and Hoffmann 2013)
• Hooves
  • Short (Grubb and Hoffmann 2013)
  • Black

Facial characteristics (from Alkon 2013)

• Markings
  • White hairs on chin and surrounding the mouth and nostrils
• Eyes
  • Orbits outlined in black
  • Irises amber colored
  • Pupils horizontal and black
• Nose
  • Rufous-brown
  • Outlined in black
• Mouth
  • Outlined in black

Adult pelage (from Alkon 2013)

• Tan to grayish body hair
  • In summer: short, tan guard hairs
  • In winter: brown to gray guard hairs with under-fur
• Belly and buttocks whitish
• Mid-dorsal (along the vertebral column and back of head) hair long
  • Dark in males
• Legs
• Marked with black and white
• Fetlocks and pasterns white

Highly dimorphic

• Size (from Alkon 2013)
  • Males much heavier than females
• Appearance (from Alkon 2013 unless otherwise noted)
  
  • Male features
    • Beard of long, dark hairs under the chin
    • Horns large, scimitar-shaped, with numerous knobby growths
      • Up to 1384 mm (54.5 in) in length
      • Juvenile male's as long as or longer than adult female's, by c. 1 year of age (Habibi 1994)
    • In rut, neck enlarges and coat darkens
  • Female features
    • Horns short and slender; lack knobs
      • 200-250 mm (7.9-9.8 in) in length (Habibi 1994)

Feeding adaptations (from Groves 2013)

• Specialized teeth
• Help grind and shred grasses and leaves
  Lower incisors and canines closely spaced to form a continuous cutting surface
  Upper canines and incisors omitted; a toothless pad
• Large, powerful jaw muscles for chewing

Locomotor adaptations (from Groves 2013 unless otherwise noted)

• Short legs and a stocky body
• Support exceptional equilibrium (Alkon 2013)
  • Agile climbers; quickly negotiate rugged terrain
• Wide hooves with large, flexible pads
• Absorb shock (Alkon 2013)
  • Promote stability on narrow ledges
  • Hooves spread to help grab onto the ground

Visual adaptations (from Groves 2013 unless otherwise noted)

• Eyes laterally faced; visual fields do not overlap
  • All-round vision
• Distance vision excellent (Alkon 2013)

Chromosome number

• 30 pairs of chromosomes (2n=60) (Alkon 2013)

Nubian ibex are characterized by their black and white leg markings. Males have large, bony, recurved horns.

Image credit: © Michael Kemmerling from Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Alkon (2013)
Groves (2013)
Grubb and Hoffmann (2013)
Habibi (1994)