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List of domesticated animals

 
List of Domesticated Animals

 
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List of domesticated animals
 
 
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This is a list of animals that have been domesticated
Domestication

Domestication or taming refers to the process whereby a population of living things becomes accustomed to a controlled environment by other plants or animals through a process of Selective breeding....
 by humans. The list includes species or larger formal and informal zoological categories that include at least some domesticated individuals.

To be considered domesticated, a population of animals must have their behavior
Ethology

Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a branch of zoology .Although many naturalists have studied aspects of animal behavior through the centuries, the modern discipline of ethology is usually considered to have arisen with the work in the 1930s of Dutch biologist Nikolaas Tinbergen and Austrian biologist Konrad Lorenz,...
, life cycle
Biological life cycle

A life cycle is a period involving one generation of an organism through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction....
, or physiology
Physiology

Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. Physiology has traditionally been divided between plant physiology and animal and all living things physiology but the principles of physiology are universal, no matter what particular organism is being studied....
 systemically altered as a result of being under human control for many generations. Animals included in this list that do not fully meet this criterion are designated "captive-bred" or semi-domesticated.






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This is a list of animals that have been domesticated
Domestication

Domestication or taming refers to the process whereby a population of living things becomes accustomed to a controlled environment by other plants or animals through a process of Selective breeding....
 by humans. The list includes species or larger formal and informal zoological categories that include at least some domesticated individuals.

To be considered domesticated, a population of animals must have their behavior
Ethology

Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a branch of zoology .Although many naturalists have studied aspects of animal behavior through the centuries, the modern discipline of ethology is usually considered to have arisen with the work in the 1930s of Dutch biologist Nikolaas Tinbergen and Austrian biologist Konrad Lorenz,...
, life cycle
Biological life cycle

A life cycle is a period involving one generation of an organism through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction....
, or physiology
Physiology

Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. Physiology has traditionally been divided between plant physiology and animal and all living things physiology but the principles of physiology are universal, no matter what particular organism is being studied....
 systemically altered as a result of being under human control for many generations. Animals included in this list that do not fully meet this criterion are designated "captive-bred" or semi-domesticated. The term domestic animal applies to domesticated animals that actually live in physical proximity to humans, such as pets and guard animals, or even food species kept very close, e.g. to live on domestic food scraps and/or so their body heat can be used as 'stable heating'.

This list is organized by the original or primary purpose for which the animals were domesticated. Animals with more than one significant human use have been listed in more than one category.

Intrinsically non-profit uses


Research and science


While nearly all species can potentially be involved in research related to their natural behaviour, there are a limited number of species that are frequently chosen, for convenience and/or as 'representative' substitute for test which would be unethical to perform on human test persons.

  • The very name of the guinea-pig has become synonymous with the use of animals for laboratory tests
  • Dolphin
    Dolphin

    File:Bottlenose_Dolphin_KSC04pd0178.jpgDolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in seventeen genus....
     (captive-bred)
  • Fruit fly
    Drosophila melanogaster

    Drosophila melanogaster is a two-winged insect that belongs to the Diptera, the Order of the Fly. The species is commonly known as the Drosophilidae or vinegar fly, and is one of the most commonly used model organisms in biology, including studies in genetics, physiology and Life history theory....
  • Mice
    House mouse

    The House Mouse is one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus commonly termed a mouse. It is a small mammal and a rodent. In most parts of the world, they live in close proximity to humans....
  • Lab rat
  • Primate
    Primate

    A primate is a member of the biological order Primates , the group that contains lemurs, the Aye-aye, Lorisidaes, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, with the last category including humans....
    s, the very order man belongs to, are for that very reason often the best physical choice for research concerning human bodily functions, from invaluable medical data to cosmetic products. Within the order, rhesus
    Rhesus

    Rhesus can refer to any of the following:*Rhesus of Thrace, a king in Greek mythology* S. Vivianus Rhesus, a Roman governor of Thrace*In Greek mythology, a river-god, son of Oceanus and Tethys...
     monkeys are most used, while again because of even closer genetical proximity for certain tests only apes (mainly chimpanzee; orang-outang and gorilla are even rarer and harder to breed) are considered fully satisfactory. No primates are considered domesticated.
  • Zubron
    Zubron

    Zubron or Zubron is a Hybrid of domestic cattle and wisent. The Wisent is the European Bison hence the Zubron is analogous to the American Beefalo....
    , a cross-breed between Wisent
    Wisent

    File:Bison bonasus right eye close-up.jpgThe wisent , or European bison , is a bison species and the heaviest surviving Terrestrial animal in Europe....
     and domestic cattle


Other Medical purposes


  • Leech
    Leech

    Leeches are annelids comprising the subclass Hirudinea. There are fresh water, terrestrial, and marine leeches. Like the Oligochaeta, they share the presence of a clitellum....
     (captive-bred)
  • Maggot
    Maggot

    Maggot is the common name of the larval phase of development in insects of the order Diptera . Sometimes the word is used to denote the larval stage of any insects....
     (captive-bred)


Pets


(See main article on pet
PET

The term pet typically refers to a pet.PET may also refer to:...
s for animals whose main purpose is human enjoyment, rather than value)

A few common examples of domestic animals:

  • Budgerigar
    Budgerigar

    The 'budgerigar' , is a small parrot belonging to the tribe of the broad-tailed parrots ; sometimes considered a subfamily . It is the only species in the Australian genus 'Melopsittacus' and sometimes isolated in a tribe of its own, the 'Melopsittacini', although it is probably quite closely related to Pezoporus and Neophe...
     (budgie)
  • Canary
    Canary

    The Canary , also called the Island Canary, Atlantic Canary or Common Canary, is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus Serinus in the finch family, Fringillidae....
  • House Cat
  • Chinchilla
    Chinchilla

    Chinchillas are crepuscular rodents, slightly larger than ground squirrels, native to the Andes mountains in South America. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they belong to the family Chinchillidae....
  • Dog
    Dog

    The dog is a domesticated subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties....
  • Ferret
    Ferret

    The ferret is a Domestication mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually Sexual dimorphism predators with males being substantially larger than females....
  • Gerbil
    Gerbil

    A Gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia. Once known simply as "desert rats", the gerbil subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and meriones s, all of which are adapted to arid habitats....
  • Goldfish
    Goldfish

    The goldfish is a domesticated version of the Prussian carp , a dark-gray/brown carp native to Asia. It was first bred for color in China over 1,000 years ago....
  • Guinea pig
    Guinea pig

    The guinea pig is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not pigs, nor do they come from Guinea ....
  • Guppy
    Guppy

    The guppy , also known as the millionfish, is one of the most popular List of freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. It is a small member of the Poecilidae family and like all other members of the family, is live-bearing aquarium fish....
  • Hedgehog
    Hedgehog

    A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the Order Erinaceomorpha. There are 16 species of hedgehog in five genus, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand....
  • Hamster
    Hamster

    Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 18 species, classified in six or seven genus....
  • Horse
    Horse

    The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
  • Mouse
    Fancy mouse

    Fancy mice are domesticated breeds of the common or house mouse . The terms fancy and "House Mouse#Mice and humans" are often used interchangeably by retailers, and are in fact the same variety of mouse....
  • Peafowl
    Peafowl

    The term peafowl can refer to the two species of bird in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family , Phasianidae. The African Congo Peafowl is placed in its own genus Afropavo and is not dealt with here....
  • Rabbit
    Domestic rabbit

    A domestic rabbit is any of the several varieties of European rabbit that has been domestic animalMale rabbits are called bucks; females are called does....
  • Rat
    Fancy rat

    The fancy rat is a domestication brown rat , which is the most common type of pet rat. The name fancy rat derives from the idea of animal fancy or the phrase, "to fancy" ....
  • Ringneck dove
  • Skunk
    Pet skunk

    A pet skunk is a skunk kept by humans for companionship and enjoyment. Although capable of living indoors with humans similarly to dogs or cats, pet skunks are relatively rare, partly due to restrictive laws and the complexity of their care....
  • Tame silver fox
    Tame Silver Fox

    The Domesticated Silver Fox is the result of nearly 50 years of experiments in the Soviet Union and Russia to domestication the Polymorphism of the Red Fox....
     (isolated Russian experiment)
  • Several species of fish
    Fish

    A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
    , such as bettas, guppies
    Guppy

    The guppy , also known as the millionfish, is one of the most popular List of freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. It is a small member of the Poecilidae family and like all other members of the family, is live-bearing aquarium fish....
    , and koi
    Koi

    , or more specifically , are ornamental domesticated varieties of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. They are also sometimes called Japanese carp....
     are kept in aquarium
    Aquarium

    An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. fishkeeping use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants....
    s and ponds.
  • Some species of reptiles, including the ball python
    Ball python

    Python regius is a non-venomous Pythonidae species found in Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade....
     and leopard gecko
    Leopard gecko

    The Leopard gecko is a nocturnal ground-dwelling gecko found in the deserts of Pakistan, northern India, Afghanistan, and parts of Iran. Unlike most geckos, it possesses eyelids....
     are considered domesticated by some definitions
  • Some other species of pet birds, including the lovebird
    Lovebird

    Lovebird is the commonly used name for any of the nine species of the genus Agapornis . They are a social and affectionate small parrot. Eight species are native to the African continent; the Grey-headed Lovebird is native to Madagascar....
    , cockatiel
    Cockatiel

    The Cockatiel , also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro, is the smallest and genuinely miniature cockatoo Endemism in birds to Australia....
    , zebra finch
    Zebra Finch

    The Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata is the most common and familiar estrildid finch of Central Australia and ranges over most of the continent, avoiding only the cool moist south and the tropical far north....
    , and society finch
    Society finch

    The Bengalese , known in the United States as the Society Finch, is a not a naturally-occurring species, but a fertile hybrid. It is the most domesticated of the "finches" [it is actually a Munia] but its ancestry is the subject of debate....
    , are often considered domesticated.


Farm Animals


  • Chicken
    Chicken

    The chicken is a Domestication fowl. Recent evidence suggests that domestication of the chicken was under way in Vietnam over 10,000 years ago....
  • Domestic duck
  • Domestic goose
  • Domestic turkey
  • Cattle
    Cattle

    Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domestication ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. They are raised as livestock for meat , dairy products , leather and as draft animals ....
  • Zebu
    Zebu

    Zebus , sometimes known as 'humped cattle' or 'indicus' cattle. They are a type of cattle better-adapted to tropics environments than the other domestic cattle, the Bos primigenius taurus or 'taurine' types....
  • Donkey
    Donkey

    The 'donkey' or 'ass', Equus africanus asinus, is a Domestication member of the Equidae or horse family, and an Odd-toed ungulates. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the Wild Ass, E....
  • Red deer
    Red Deer

    The Red Deer is one of the largest deer species. The Red Deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor and parts of western and central Asia....
  • Fallow deer
    Fallow Deer

    The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae.The male is a buck, the female is a doe, and the young a fawn. Bucks are 140-160 cm long and 90-100 cm shoulder height, and 60-85 kg in weight; does are 130-150 cm long and 75-85 cm shoulder height, and 30-50 kg in weight....
  • Domestic pig
    Domestic pig

    The 'Domestication pig' is normally given the scientific name Sus scrofa scrofa, though some taxonomists use the term S. domestica, reserving S....
  • Domestic goat
  • Domestic sheep
    Domestic sheep

    Domestic sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates....
  • Horse
    Horse

    The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
  • American bison
    American Bison

    The American Bison is a bovinae mammal, also commonly known as the American buffalo. "Buffalo" is somewhat of a misnomer for this animal, as it is only distantly related to either of the two "true buffaloes", the Wild Asian Water Buffalo and the African buffalo....
  • Alpaca
    Alpaca

    The Alpaca is a Domestication species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of to meters above sea-level, throughout the year....
  • Llama
    Llama

    The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat....


Collection and display


While many more wild species can be put on display after capture in the wild or bred in captivity intended to resemble natural reproduction as closely as possible in scientific and/or survival programs, an impressive number of species is bred, often alongside (often illegal) capture in the wild and collected, not for any useful purpose to the owner (listed above or under working animal
Working animal

A working animal is an animal that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide dogs, or domestications such as logging elephants....
) but for breeding in view of possible extinction in their natural habitat and/or for display in private or for the public (not necessarily managed for profit), as in an aquarium or vivarium, in zoos, safari parks etc. This is the case with many (especially tropical) fish, butterflies, song - and birds etc.

See also


  • Animals in sport
    Animals in sport

    Animals in sport are a specific form of working animals. Many animals, at least in more commercial sports, are highly animal training. Two of the most common animals in sport are horses and dogs....
  • Animals on television
    Animals on television

    There are many appearances and depictions of animals on television, ranging from the use of working animals as actors to anthropomorphism. Real animals are seen on television and in film for numerous reasons and in varying capacities....