Lesser kudu kudu and nyala form a clade, and collectively separated from the sister clade 13.8 million years ago. The lesser kudu has 38 diploid chromosomes. However, unlike others in the subfamily Tragelaphinae, the X chromosome and Y chromosome are compound and each is fused with one of two identical autosomes. The lesser kudu is a spiral-horned antelope. The head-and-body length is typically between . Males reach about at the shoulder, while females reach . Males typically weigh and females . The bushy tail is long, white underneath and with a black tip at the end. Distinct signs of sexual dimorphism are
Lesser kudu browser, the lesser kudu feeds on foliage from bushes and trees (shoots, twigs) and herbs. Despite seasonal and local variations, foliage from trees and shrubs constitute 60–80% of the diet throughout the year. The lesser kudu is mainly active at night and during the dawn, and seeks shelter in dense thickets just after the sunrise. The lesser kudu exhibits no territorial behaviour, and fights are rare. While females are gregarious, adult males prefer being solitary. No fixed breeding season is seen; births may occur at any time of the year. The lesser kudu inhabits dry, flat, and heavily forested regions.