Lesser kudu classified under the genus "Tragelaphus" in family Bovidae. It was first described by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1869. The generic name, "Tragelaphus", derives from Greek word "tragos", meaning a male goat, and "elaphos", which means a deer, while the specific name "imberbis" comes from the Latin term meaning unbearded, referring to this kudu's lack of mane. The vernacular name kudu (or koodoo) could have originated either from the Afrikaans "koedoe" or the Khoikhoi "kudu". The term "lesser" denotes the smaller size of this antelope as compared to the greater kudu. In 1912, the genus "Ammelaphus" was established for
Greater kudu of the northwestern population, which may represent a third subspecies ("T. s. cottoni") was tested within this study. In Groves and Grubb's book "Ungulate Taxonomy", a recent taxonomic revision was made that evaluated all species and subspecies of kudu and other ungulates. This review split the genus "Tragelaphus" into 4 separate genera, "Tragelaphus" (bushbuck, sitatunga, bongo, nyala, and gedemsa or mountain nyala), "Ammelaphus" (lesser kudu), "Strepsiceros" (greater kudu) and their close relatives "Taurotragus" (elands). The greater kudu was split into four species based on genetic evidence and morphological features (horn structure and coat color). Each species was based on a