Tibial flaggs as a feature of adaptive colouration in ruminants

Aug 9, 2026 | Bio-mullings

By Antoni V Milewski and Anthony J Mills · Originally published 16 June 2026

About this edition. This is Antoni Milewski’s post, republished with his permission. Only the photographs he chose are used. Those on iNaturalist under a Creative Commons licence are shown; the rest are hosted externally and are given as links. No images have been substituted. Read the original on iNaturalist.

I hypothesise a tibial flagg in Hippotragus equinus:

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The tibial flagg is inconsistent in sternal recumbency:

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This pale element on the anterior surface of the upper hindleg is easily overlooked as part of countershading, in the standing posture.

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Blastocerus dichotomus:

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Possible tibial flagg in Sylvicapra grimmia grimmia:

Sylvicapra grimmia grimmia, Overberg District Municipality, South Africa, by eugene_hahndiek
Eugene HahndiekOverberg District Municipality, South Africa · 2 Jan 2026CC BY-NCobs. 334729011

Tibial flagg in Mazama

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Possible tibial flagg in the swamp buffalo (Bubalus kerabau):

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A tibial flagg seems to be absent in all Tragelaphinae:

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Posted on June 16, 2026 07:30 PM by
milewski

Addenda from the thread of comments

The author added the following in comments beneath the original post.

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Credits. Photographs reproduced from iNaturalist are shown under the Creative Commons licence stated in each caption and remain the copyright of the observers named. All other images cited by the author are hosted externally and are linked, not reproduced.

By Antoni V Milewski and Anthony J Mills. Text by Antoni V Milewski, posted on iNaturalist 16 June 2026 and republished here with permission. Read the original.