addax [key], large, desert-dwelling antelope. It is a single species, Addax nasomaculatus. The addax is yellowish-white in color, has a brown mane and throat fringe, and may stand as high as 42 in. (106 cm) at the shoulder. Both sexes bear long, spiraling horns reaching up to 43 in. (109 cm) in length. The addax is native to N African deserts; its short, thick legs and broad hooves are adapted to traveling on sand. It is able to survive only on the water obtained from dew or from forage and can scent grasses newly sprouted by recent rain. Addax are typically found in pairs or in small herds. They have been extensively hunted, and, with much of their habitat destroyed, the species is now endangered. Addax are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Artiodactyla, family Bovidae.
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