Scientific Name of Buffalo (Water Buffalo)

The water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis, belongs to the Bovidae family which also includes other cloven-hoofed ruminants such as goats, sheep and antelopes. The water buffalo can be found on the Indian subcontinent, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Biologists have now classified the water buffalo into two subspecies, namely:

• River buffalo
• Swamp buffalo

Today, water buffaloes are a domesticated species and their origins can be traced back to the Indus valley civilization and Mesopotamia, where they were used for trading. Water buffaloes are also very important from an agricultural perspective as they are used for tilling rice fields.

The most likely ancestor of the water buffalo is the wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee). But unlike its domesticated brethren, the wild water buffalo is an endangered species (as per the IUCN).

Also Read:

• Scientific Names of the Most Common Animals and Plants
• Scientific Name of Cow
• Herbivorous & Carnivorous Animals – Characteristics & Examples
• Mammalia – Characteristics and Classification Of Mammals

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