In 1937, German artist and hunter Moritz Pathé acquired an unusual antelope skin in Liberia that lacked the typical white striped pattern of northern bushbucks. The incomplete skin, missing head and limbs, was heavily marked with black spots and solid black patches, contrasting sharply with all known bushbuck coats. Pathé’s documentation, including detailed paintings and firsthand accounts, suggested this specimen might represent a distinct species or a rare aberrant form. Credited cryptozoologist Bernard Heuvelmans later highlighted this specimen's significance, preserving its skin in the Zoological Museum of Berlin.
Official records indicate that Pathé’s discovery was based on material from a native hunter in the Gola region near the Mahé River. Pathé purchased the skin and subsequently hired the youth who brought it, to guide his further explorations. Although Pathé vacillated on whether the skin belonged to an unknown species or a highly unusual bushbuck variant, no formal taxonomic description has been published. The specimen remains unique in scientific collections, and its patterning is considered an instance of pseudo-melanism, a rare pigmentation anomaly documented elsewhere in carnivores but unprecedented for bushbucks.
This finding sheds light on the complexity and variability within African ungulates, illustrating the challenges of accurately classifying cryptic or aberrant animals. Beyond taxonomy, it underscores the value of historical fieldwork and preserved museum specimens for revisiting unresolved biological questions. The Liberian spotted bushbuck contributes to broader discussions on biodiversity in West Africa and the potential for undiscovered species or phenotypic variants in under-studied regions. Documenting such anomalies enriches knowledge of animal evolution, ecological adaptation, and conservation priorities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Source: ShukerNature
