Family Cervidae Family Cervidae • Consists of all deer •Adult males are called Stags, females – Hinds and young ones – Fawns •Herbivores; Ruminants •Males possess antlers, instead of horns • Antlers are absent in females except in Caribou / Reindeer •Gall bladder is absent (except in Musk deer, in which it is present) • Canine teeth, called tushes are found in the upper jaw •Possess scent glands below each eye • A large fissure is present below each eye, called as lachrymal fissure Antlers Antler is a solid, bony structure present in male animals They grow from a bony prominence, called Pedicel, on either side of the skull Family Cervidae Sub – family Cervinae Spotted deer - Axis axis Sambar deer - Rusa unicolor Hog deer - Axis porcinus Red deer - Cervus elaphus Spotted deer / Chital Axis axis • A beautiful deer • Distribution; throughout India • Coat-bright rufous-fawn spotted with white • Spots are found in all seasons and ages • Shedding of antlers vary between regions • In south India, shedding occurs by August – September and remain in velvet till December • Usually found in herds of 10 – 30 Sambar deer: Rusa unicolor •Largest Indian deer •Distribution: throughout India; prefers forested hill side • Colour is brown with yellow or grey tinge with the ventral side paler • Females are light shaded •Ears are large •Possess the largest and best developed facial glands •Antlers arise as a single spike in the first year and later add tines Brow antlered deer / Eld’s deer: Rucervus eldii (Thamin deer, Sangai, Manipur dancing deer) •Distribution: there are three races. • Manipur race (Sangai) in the Keibul Lamjao sanctuary • Colour is dark brown to black in stags; hinds are light • Fawns are spotted Red deer: Cervus elaphus • Earlier called as Kashmir Stag / Hangul • Distribution forests of N. Kashmir and N. Himachal Pradesh •Large – sized deer with antlers having many tines • Colour is light to dark brown with a small white patch on the rump • Colour is lighter on either side of the body and on the limbs • Chin and ears are white Barking deer / Indian Munjtac: Muntiacus muntjak •Also called Muntjak deer, Rib faced deer •A deer of the Indo – Malayan countries •Different races are found •Colour is bright chestnut •Older males are dark brown •The sound is like the bark of a dog, hence the name barking deer •Antlers are small, short brow tine ,an un-branched beam •Pedicels extend to the face as bony ridges; hence the name rib faced deer •Antlers are shed during May – June •Usually seen singly or in small herds •Fairly diurnal •Breeds at all seasons Usually one fawn •Height: 50 – 75cm Weight: 22 – 23 kg Family Moschidae Consists of Musk deer Animals include: Kashmir Musk deer - Moschus cuperus Black Musk deer - Moschus fuscus Himalayan Musk deer - Moschus leucogaster Alpine Musk deer - Moschus chrysogaster Kashmir Musk deer: Mochus moschiferus Kashmir Musk deer: Mochus moschiferus •A small – sized deer •Distribution: high altitudes in N. India, from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh •Colour: dark brown •Regarded as an undeveloped form of deer; placed between deer and antelope •Antlers are absent •Face glands are absent •Caudal gland and musk gland are present •Canine teeth (tushes) are well developed in males •Tail is buried in the long hairs of the perineal region •Musk gland is situated beneath the skin of the abdomen in males •Fresh musk gland secretion has an unpleasant, pungent, urinary smell •When dried, musk has a very good scent •Live singly or in pairs •Breeding season: January Fawns are born in June •Height: < 50 cm Family Tragulidae Animal include: Indian Spotted Chevrotain - Moschiola meminna (Mouse deer: Tragulus meminna) A small animal with slender limbs and high hind quarters • Distribution: Forests of South India and Sri Lanka • Colour: olive brown speckled lightly with yellow • Flank has rows of white spots • Ventral side is white •Throat has three white stripes • Have no incisor teeth in the upper jaw • Males possess well developed tusks • Stomach is three chambered •Antlers are not developed • Males live solitary lives except during the breeding season • Produce two fawns • Height: 25 – 30 cm .