| Alces | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Moose (Alces alces) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Cervidae |
| Subfamily: | Capreolinae |
| Tribe: | Alceini |
| Genus: | Alces Gray, 1821 |
| Type species | |
| Alces alces | |
| Species | |
Alces is a genus ofartiodactyl mammals, that includes the largest species of thedeer family.[1] There are two species in genus: themoose (Alces alces) and the fossilAlces gallicus (also known as the Gallic moose), that existed in the Pleistocene about 2 million years ago. Sometimes only one species is included in the genus, the modern moose (Alces alces), and the extinct Gallic moose is more often referred to the genusCervalces, since the structure of their antlers looks similar.[2]
Sometimes the speciesAlces alces is divided into two separate species - European and American moose (A. americanus).[3] The American moose, contrary to its name, includes all subspecies of moose, exceptEuropean andCaucasian moose, which belong to the European moose. The presence of two modern species in the genus remains controversial. These animals are often divided into two species because American and Asian subspecies have greater presence of chromosomes, than European subspecies - they have 68 of them, and "American moose" subspecies has 70.[4][5]
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