Asses
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Perissodactyla
Family:	Equidae
Genus:	Equus
Subgenus:	Asinus
Species
Equus asinus Equus africanus Equus hemionus Equus kiang

Asinus, commonly known as asses, is a subgenus of Equus (single-toed (hooved) grazing animal) that encompasses several species of Equidae characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, lack a true wither, coarse mane and tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance.

The common donkey or "ass" is the best-known representative of the subgenus, with both domesticated and feral varieties, ranging in size from the small burro to the horse-sized "Mammoth Jack" American donkey, the French Poitou donkey and other donkey breeds. There is not a formal cutoff between the terminology "donkey," "burro" and "ass," Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys (under 9 hands) are "donkeys," small and standard sized donkeys are called "burros" or "donkeys" and large donkeys (over 13.2 hands) are "donkeys", "Jackass" or "Ass". Males are called a "jack," gelding males are "john," females are "jennies" or "jennets."

A mule, is a hybrid animal produced by a jack donkey mated with a mare horse. A hinny is a stallion horse mated with a jenny donkey.

Wild asses include a number of truly wild (never domesticated) species of Asinus that live in Asia and Africa.

Taxonomy[link]

• Genus: Equus
  • Subgenus: Asinus
    • African Wild Ass, Equus africanus^[1][2]
      • Nubian Wild Ass, Equus africanus africanus
      • Somali Wild Ass, Equus africanus somalicus
      • Atlas Wild Ass, †Equus africanus atlanticus (extinct)
      • Donkey, Equus africanus asinus
    • European Ass, †Equus hydruntinus (extinct)
    • Onager or Asiatic Ass, Equus onager, Equus hemionus onager
    • Mongolian Wild Ass, Equus hemionus
    • Indian Wild Ass or Khur, Equus hemionus khur
      • Syrian Wild Ass, †Equus hemionus hemippus (extinct)
    • Kulan, Equus hemionus kulan
      • Turkmenian Kulan, Equus hemionus kulan (synonymous for Kulan)^[3]
      • Gobi Kulan or Dziggetai, Equus kulan luteus
    • Kiang, Equus kiang
      • Western Kiang, Equus kiang kiang
      • Eastern Kiang, Equus kiang holdereri
      • Southern Kiang, Equus kiang polyodon
      • Northern Kiang, Equus kiang chu
    • †Equus cumminsii Cummin’s Ass
    • †Equus calobatus Stilt-legged Onager
    • †Equus tau Pygmy Onager
    • †Equus lambei Yukon Wild Ass

References[link]

João Ricardo Pereira Batalha dos Santos Ferreira (born 7 January 1970 in Luanda), known as João Ricardo (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈɐ̃w̃ ʁiˈkaɾðu]), is a Portuguese-Angolan retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Club career[link]

The son of Portuguese settlers in Angola, João Ricardo returned to his parents' homeland in 1974, aged four, with the family moving to Leiria, where he started playing youth football, making his senior debuts with the same team, amateurs Sport Clube Leiria e Marrazes.

In 1993, Ricardo joined Académico de Viseu FC, playing four seasons in the second division and one in the third with the club. His first top level experience arrived with S.C. Salgueiros, but he could only appear once in the league in his three seasons combined.

Ricardo returned to level two in 2001 with Moreirense FC, playing in all the matches in his first year as the Moreira de Cónegos side, led by Manuel Machado, promoted to the top flight for the first time ever. He maintained his first-choice status in two of the following three years, with the club suffering relegation in 2005.

After more than one year without a club, 37-year old Ricardo returned to his nation of birth and signed for Atlético Petróleos Luanda, being included in the squad that competed in the 2007 CAF Champions League. He retired from the game in the following year.

International career[link]

João Ricardo opted to represent Angola internationally, his first cap coming in 1996, at the age of 26. Ten years later, he appeared with the national team in the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, in an eventual group stage exit.

Ricardo was also selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, being a free agent at the time, with no competitive football played in one year. He started in all three group stage matches for the Africans in their first FIFA World Cup presence, conceding only twice,^[1] and performing most notably in the 0–0 draw against Mexico.^[2]

After the tournament, Ricardo was offered a contract by Iran outfit Zob Ahan Isfahan FC (the Iranian national team also faced Angola in the World Cup), but the deal eventually fell through due to undisclosed circumstances.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo
• João Ricardo at National-Football-Teams.com

v t e Angola squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations 1 João Ricardo 2 Pereira 3 Jamba 4 Lebo Lebo 5 Kali 6 Miloy 7 Figueiredo 8 André 9 Mantorras 10 Akwá 11 Johnson Macaba 12 Lamá 13 Édson 14 Mendonça 15 Maurito 16 Flávio 17 Zé Kalanga 18 Love 19 Titi Buengo 20 Locó 21 Delgado 22 Lundala 23 Marco Abreu Coach: Gonçalves

v t e Angola squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 João Ricardo 2 Marco Airosa 3 Jamba 4 Lebo Lebo 5 Kali 6 Miloy 7 Figueiredo 8 André 9 Mantorras 10 Akwá (c) 11 Mateus 12 Lamá 13 Édson 14 Mendonça 15 Rui Marques 16 Flávio 17 Zé Kalanga 18 Love 19 Titi Buengo 20 Locó 21 Delgado 22 Mário 23 Marco Abreu Coach: Gonçalves