The zebu is a domestic cow from Asia and Africa; zebus are also known as Brahmas. I was reminded of the zebu’s existence this week when Andy Merriell, my employer, showed me a wonderful book called The 100 Best Animals. Zebus have floppy dewlaps and shoulder humps and curved horns and they’re amazingly tolerant of heat.

It seems there’s a lot of disagreement as to whether the zebu is a species—Bos indicus—or a subspecies of Bos taurus or Bos primigenius. And it further seems that B. primigenius is either another name or a subspecies of B. taurus. All I know right now is what Mammal Species of the World tells me. I am getting interested in the taxonomy and nomenclature, though, and I imagine I’ll be something of an expert by the time I’m finished with this project.