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Information about Zorse

Zorse


Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Perissodactyla
Family:Equidae
Genus:Equus
Species:E. zebra + caballus
Binomial name
Equus zorse?


A zorse or zebrula is the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horse mare; the rarer reverse pairing is sometimes called a hebra. It is a zebroid: this term refers to any hybrid equine with zebra ancestry.

The zorse is shaped more like a horse than a zebra, but has boldly striped legs and, often, stripes on the body or neck. Like most other interspecies hybrids, it is infertile.

Cossar Ewart, Professor of Natural History at Edinburgh (1882-1927) and a keen geneticist, crossed a zebra stallion with horse and pony mares in order to investigate the theory of telegony, or paternal impression. Cossar Ewart used Arabian mares. Similar experiments were carried out by the US Government and reported in "Genetics in Relation to Agriculture" by E.B. Babcock and R.E. Clausen and in "The Science of Life" by H.G. Wells, J. Huxley and G.P. Wells (c.1929).

Zebras, donkeys and horses are both members of the family equus -- equines. Equines can be crossbred to produce hybrids. They are all slightly different in genetic makeup, but still all equines. That is, horses have 64 chromosomes, zebra have between 44 and 62 (depending on species). Zorses can be male or female, but are sterile since their chromosome count is 63.

Coloration

Zorses combine the zebra striping overlaid on colored areas of the hybrid's coat. Zorses are most often bred using solid colour horses. If the horse parent is piebald (black and white) or skewbald (other color and white) (these are known in the USA as paint/pinto) the zorse will inherit the genes for white patches. Only the coloured areas will have zebra striping, resulting in a zorse with white patches and striped patches. This effect is seen in the zebroid Eclyse born in Stukenbrock, Germany in 2007 to a zebra mare called Eclipse and a stallion called Ulysses.

Zorses and humans

"It soon became apparent that zorses are not the most easiest of the equine family to get along with." -- Trainer Pat Parelli, on working with zorses.

Zorses are preferred over purebred zebras for riding and draught for several reasons. They are usually better natured than zebras, although they are still not as easily handled as purebred horses and should not be ridden or purchased by novices. Their more horselike shape, particularly in the shoulder region, makes it easier to obtain harness.

Zebras, being wild animals, and not domesticated like horses and donkeys, pass on their wild animal traits to their offspring. Zebras, while not usually very large, are extremely strong and aggressive. Similarly, zorses have a strong temperament and can be aggressive.

Notable zorses

  • A zorse (more accurately a zony) was born at Eden Ostrich World, Cumbria, England in 2001 after a zebra was left in a field with a Shetland pony. It was referred to as a Zetland . This was the inspiration for the 2003 'Song For the Zorse' by London band The Coronets.
  • According to local lore brown zorses have been spotted in the foot hills of the appalachians in and around Charlottesville, Virginia.
  • In the Viva La Bam episode Groundhogs Day in the final race, Brandon Dicamillo's sled is a Zorse. Although, it was colored pink, blue, purple, and red.
  • The 2007 movie I'm Reed Fish features a zorse named Zabrina.
  • An animated zorse appears in the alternate ending of the movie Racing Stripes. It is the son of Stripes (a zebra) and Sandy, a white filly.
  • Zorses are briefly mentioned several times in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels.

References

External links

Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. Scientific classification also can be called scientific taxonomy, but should be distinguished from folk taxonomy, which lacks scientific basis.
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Chordata
Bateson, 1885

Typical Classes

See below

Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates.
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Mammalia
Linnaeus, 1758

Subclasses & Infraclasses
  • Subclass †Allotheria*
  • Subclass Prototheria
  • Subclass Theria

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Perissodactyla
Owen, 1848

Families

Equidae
Tapiridae
Rhinocerotidae
Brontotheriidae (extinct)
Chalicotheriidae (extinct)
Hyracodontidae (extinct)
Palaeotheriidae (extinct)
Amynodontidae (extinct)

The odd-toed ungulates
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Equidae
Gray, 1821

Genus: Equus
Linnaeus, 1758

Species

E. asinus - Donkey
E. africanus - African Wild Ass
E. caballus - Domestic Horse
E.
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Equus (Latin for horse or steed) may refer to:
  • Equus (genus), a genus of animals including horses, donkeys, zebras and onagers
In popular culture:
  • Equus (play), a play by Peter Shaffer
  • Equus

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binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species. The system is also called binominal nomenclature (particularly in zoological circles), binary nomenclature (particularly in botanical circles), or the binomial classification system.
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Hippotigris

Species

Equus zebra
Equus hartmannae
Equus quagga
Equus grevyi

The Zebra is a member of the horse family, native to eastern and southern Africa.
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A stallion is a male horse that has not been castrated.

Stallions will follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck compared to mares and geldings,
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H.O.R.S.E. is a form of poker commonly played at the high stakes tables of casinos. It consists of rounds of play cycling among:
  • Texas Hold 'em,
  • Omaha eight or better,
  • Razz,
  • Seven card Stud, and
  • Seven card stud E

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mare is an adult female horse.

Most of the time, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse age three and younger. However, in Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare
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A zebroid is a cross between a zebra and any other equid: essentially, a zebra hybrid. They are also known as zebra mules and zebrules. In general, the sire is a zebra stallion.
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hybrid has two meanings.[1]

The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. Hybrids between different species within the same genus are sometimes known as interspecific hybrids or crosses.
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hybrid has two meanings.[1]

The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. Hybrids between different species within the same genus are sometimes known as interspecific hybrids or crosses.
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James Cossar Ewart (born November 26, 1851 in Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland; died there December 31, 1933) was a zoologist. He was the son of John Ewart, a joiner, and Jean Cossar.
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Telegony is a theory in heredity, now discredited but widely believed until the late 19th century, holding that offspring can inherit the characteristics of a previous mate of one or both parents.
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Herbert George Wells

Born: 21 September 1866(1866--)
Bromley, Kent, England
Died: 13 July 1946 (aged 81)
London, England
Occupation: Novelist, Teacher, Historian,
Journalist
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A zony is the offspring of a zebra stallion and a pony mare. Medium size pony mares are preferred in order to produce riding zonies, but zebras have been crossed with smaller pony breeds such as the Shetland resulting in so-called "Zetlands".
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    Cumbria (IPA: /ˈkʌmbriə/), is a shire county in the extreme North West of England. Cumbria came into existence as a county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.
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    Recurring:
    Tim Glomb
    Jenn Rivell
    Brandon Novak (Season Five)

    Country of origin USA
    No. of episodes 43 (including 3 specials)
    Production
    Running time 20 Minutes
    Broadcast
    Original channel MTV
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    IMDb profile
    I'm Reed Fish is an American film, based on a story by Reed Fish and released theatrically on June 1, 2007. The film was directed by Zackary Adler and stars Alexis Bledel, Jay Baruchel, and Schuyler Fisk.
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    Racing stripes may refer to:
    • Racing Stripes, a film
    • Go-faster stripes, a decoration applied to cars to make them appear to be modified for extra speed
    This article is about the movie.

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    filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.
    • In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old.

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    A Song of Ice and Fire (commonly abbreviated as ASoIaF) is a series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. According to the author, the series will consist of seven novels.
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