Taxonomic classification of Bos indicus down to subspecies

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Detailed Solution

Scientists often classify cattle as one species (Bos taurus) with two main subspecies: Bos taurus taurus (taurine) and Bos taurus indicus (zebu), so Indian cattle sit at the subspecies level as Bos taurus indicus.

Taxonomic classification of Bos indicus down to subspecies

Rank	Taxon	Notes
Kingdom	Animalia	Animals
Phylum	Chordata	With a backbone
Class	Mammalia	Mammals
Order	Artiodactyla	Even-toed ungulates
Family	Bovidae	Cattle, buffalo, antelopes
Subfamily	Bovinae	Cattle and relatives
Genus	Bos	Large bovines
Species	Bos taurus	Domestic cattle
Subspecies	Bos taurus indicus	Indicine (zebu) cattle of India and tropics
Subspecies	Bos taurus taurus	Taurine (European) cattle

Alternative view you may see

Some sources list zebu as a separate species, written as Bos indicus. This reflects older or alternate taxonomy. Modern genetic studies often support one domestic species with two major subspecies. Both systems aim to reflect the same biological reality: taurine and indicine lines descended from aurochs with deep divergence followed by long domestication.

Breed examples under Bos taurus indicus