The wildebeest nurses its young, which is the essential characteristic of Mammalia. The wildebeest fetus, develops inside the mother and is nourished through the placenta. This distinguishes members of the sub-class Eutheria apart from other non-placental mammals such as the kangaroo which is a [G 28 / marsupial].
The wildebeest is considered an "ungulate" because through evolution, claws have been replaced with hooves. More specifically, having two toes, the wildebeest is considered an "even-toed ungulate" and is classified in the order Artiodactyla.
Connochaetes taurinus is a [G 41 / ruminant] that has hollow horns which never shed, a four-chamber stomach and two hoof-encased toes on each foot. These features place it in the most numerous and diversified of the ruminants, the family Bovidae. The subfamily Alcelaphinae consists of large antelopes with large heads, long hairless muzzles, curved horns on both sexes and a long tail ending in course hair extending to the hooves.
The wildebeest's prominent tuft of facial hair, long fringe of hair extending down its neck and horns which begin by curving downward place it in the genus Connochaetes.
Connochaetes taurinus is distinguished from the other species of wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou, most notably by its black tail. In contrast, C. gnou has a white tail and horns that grow outward then curve up, as opposed to growing forward before curving up. C.t. albojubatus is characterized by its white beard, distinguishing it from the other subspecies which have black beards.
