Editing Plains zebra (section)

==Physical description==
[[File:Equus burchelli - Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology - DSC02371.JPG|thumb|left|222px|The skeleton exhibit in the [[Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology]], [[Kunming]], [[Yunnan]], China]]
The plains zebra stands at a height of {{cvt|127|–|140|cm}} with a head-body length of {{cvt|217|–|246|cm}} and a tail length of {{cvt|47|–|56.5|cm}}. Males weigh {{cvt|220|–|322|kg}} while females weigh {{cvt|175|–|250|kg}}.<ref name="Kingdon 1988">{{cite book|author=Kingdon, J.|year=1988|title=East African Mammals: An Atlas of Evolution in Africa, Volume 3, Part B: Large Mammals|publisher=University of Chicago Press|pages=165–179|isbn=978-0-226-43722-4}}</ref> The species is intermediate in size between the larger Grévy's zebra and the smaller mountain zebra. It is dumpy bodied with relatively short legs and a skull with a convex forehead and a somewhat concave nose profile. The neck is thicker in males than in females. The ears are upright and have rounded tips. They are shorter than in the mountain zebra and narrower than in Grévy's zebra. As with all wild equids, the plains zebra has an erect mane along the neck and a tuft of hair at the end of the tail.<ref name="Grub 1981">{{cite journal | last1 = Grubb | first1 = P. | year = 1981 | title = Equus burchellii | journal = Mammalian Species | issue = 157| pages = 1–9 | doi=10.2307/3503962| jstor = 3503962 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|author=Rubenstein, D. I.|contribution=Horse, Zebras and Asses|year=2001|title=The Encyclopedia of Mammals |edition= 2nd|editor=MacDonald, D. W.|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=468|isbn=978-0-7607-1969-5}}</ref><ref name="Skinner"/> The body hair of a zebra is {{cvt|9.4|±|4|mm}},<ref name="Skinner"/> shorter than in other African ungulates.<ref name="Caro">{{cite journal|author1=Caro, T.|author2=Izzo, A.|author3=Reiner, R. C.|author4=Walker, H.|author5=Stankowich, T |year=2014 |title= The function of zebra stripes|journal=Nature Communications |volume=5 |pages=3535 |doi=10.1038/ncomms4535 |pmid=24691390 |bibcode=2014NatCo...5.3535C |author1-link=Tim Caro|doi-access=free}}</ref>

[[File:Zebras in Tanzania 4310 Nevit.jpg|thumb|right|Close-up of striping pattern of zebra in Tanzania]]
Like all zebras, they are [[zebra stripes|boldly striped in black and white]] and no two individuals look exactly alike. Compared to other species, the plains zebra has broader stripes. The stripes are vertical on the fore part of the body, and tend towards the horizontal on the hindquarters. Northern zebra populations have narrower and more defined striping; southern populations have varied but lesser amounts of striping on the under parts, the legs and the hindquarters. Southern populations also have brown "shadow" stripes between the black and white colouring. These are absent or poorly expressed in northern zebras. The natal coat of a [[foal]] is brown and white and the brown darkens with age.<ref name="Grub 1981"/><ref name="Kingdon 1988"/><ref name="Moehlman 2002">{{Cite book |last1=Hack |first1=Mace A. |url=https://archive.org/details/equidszebrasasse0000unse |title=Equids. Zebras, Asses and Horses. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan |last2=East |first2=Rod |last3=Rubenstein |first3=Dan J. |publisher=IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group. IUCN |year=2002 |isbn=9782831706474 |editor-last=Moehlman |editor-first=P. D. |pages=43–57 |chapter=Status and Action Plan for the Plains Zebra (''Equus burchelli'') |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/equidszebrasasse0000unse/page/43 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

Various abnormalities of the patterns have been documented in plains zebras. [[Melanistic]] zebras have high concentrations of dark stripes on the torso but low concentrations on the legs. "Spotted" individuals display interruptions in black striping patterns.<ref name=Larison2020>{{cite journal|last1=Larison|first1=Brenda|last2=Kaelin|first2=Christopher B.|last3=Harrigan|first3=Ryan|display-authors=etal|year=2020|title=Population structure, inbreeding and stripe pattern abnormalities in plains zebras|journal=Molecular Ecology|volume=30|issue=2|pages=379–390|doi=10.1111/mec.15728|pmid=33174253|s2cid=226305574}}</ref> There have even been [[Polymorphism (biology)|morphs]] with white spots on dark backgrounds.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Zebra Stripes |last=Caro |first=Tim |publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|page=20|year=2016 |isbn=978-0-226-41101-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3o-EDQAAQBAJ&q=zebra+stripes}}</ref> Striping abnormalities have been linked to [[inbreeding]].<ref name=Larison2020/> [[Albino]] zebras have been recorded in the forests of [[Mount Kenya]], with the dark stripes being blonde.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/03/rare-partially-albino-zebra-spotted-in-serengeti/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329161519/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/03/rare-partially-albino-zebra-spotted-in-serengeti/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |title=Extremely Rare 'Blonde' Zebra Photographed |publisher=[[National Geographic]] |date=29 March 2019 |access-date=25 May 2020}}</ref> The quagga had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs.<ref name="Walker">{{cite book |last=Nowak |first=R. M. |year=1999 |title=Walker's Mammals of the World |volume=1 |publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University Press]] |pages=1024–1025 |isbn=978-0-8018-5789-8}}</ref>