 Historically , quagga taxonomy was further complicated by the fact that the extinct southernmost population of Burchell 's zebra ( Equus quagga burchellii , formerly Equus burchellii burchellii ) was thought to be a distinct subspecies ( also sometimes thought a full species , E. burchellii ) . The extant northern population , the " Damara zebra " , was later named Equus quagga antiquorum , which means that it is today also referred to as E. q. burchellii , after it was realised they were the same taxon . The extinct population was long thought very close to the quagga , since it also showed limited striping on its hind parts . As an example of this , Shortridge placed the two in the now disused subgenus Quagga in 1934 . Most experts now suggest that the two subspecies represent two ends of a cline . 
