The zebra duiker's light gold or reddish-brown body is strikingly marked from the shoulders to the rump with 12-16 black (or dark brown) transverse stripes. The striping pattern (number of stripes, degree of tapering, and arrangement) is unique to each individual. The shoulders and lower legs are darker than the rest of the body, and blackish bands encircle the upper legs (both front and rear). The undersides are pale. The tail is rufous and lacks stripes. The face is an overall deep chestnut brown colour; there are no distinctive markings, but the muzzle is black and the lower jaw whitish. The horns are short, smooth, sharp cones in both males (4-5 cm) and females (up to 2-3 cm).