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Alces is a genus of artiodactyl mammals, that includes the largest species of the deer family.[1] There are two species in genus: the moose (Alces alces) and the fossil Alces 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 genus Cervalces, since the structure of their antlers looks similar.[2]
| 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 | |
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Sometimes the species Alces 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, except European and Caucasian 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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European moose (A. alces alces)
Alaskan moose (A. alces gigas or A. americanus gigas)
Eastern moose (A. alces americanus or A. americanus americanus)- Yellowstone moose (A. alces shirasi or A. americanus shirasi)
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