The Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), also known colloquially in North America as the pronghorn antelope, prairie antelope, or simply antelope because it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and fills a similar ecological niche due to parallel evolution even though it is not an antelope, is a species of artiodactyl mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. It is the only surviving member of the family Antilocapridae.
During the Pleistocene period, about 12 antilocaprid species existed in North America. 3 other genera (Capromeryx, Stockoceros and Tetrameryx) existed when humans entered North America but are now extinct.
As a member of the superfamily Giraffoidea, the pronghorn's closest living relatives are the giraffes and okapi. The Giraffoidea are in turn members of the infraorder Pecora, making pronghorns more distant relatives of the Cervidae (deer) and Bovidae (cattle, goats, sheep, antelopes, and gazelles), among others.
Pronghorn have great adaptations for spotting and getting away from predators such as wolves, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and golden eagles. Pronghorn have large eyes to help them see predators.
The pronghorn is the symbol of the American Society of Mammalogists.