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Humped African cattle, which are differentiated into zebu and sanga types, have traditionally been classified as Bos indicus. This paper discusses existing evidence and presents new evidence supporting the classification of southern African sangas as Bos taurus and East African zebus as 'taurindicus'. Classification is based on karyotype, frequencies of DNA markers and protein polymorphisms. The Boran, an East African zebu, has an acrocentric Y chromosome typical of Bos indicus. The southern African sanga breeds have a submetacentric Y chromosome typical of Bos taurus. Frequencies of four DNA markers support the hypothesis that the Tuli, a southern African sanga, had taurine ancestors and the Boran had both taurine and indicine ancestors. Frequencies for several protein polymorphisms strongly suggest that southern African sangas have more in common with taurine than with indicine breeds, while East African zebus are an admixture of African taurine and Asian indicine breeds.