Truong Son Muntjac

Truong Son Muntjac
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Ruminantia
Family: Cervidae
Subfamily: Muntiacinae
Genus: Muntiacus
Species: M. truongsonensis
Binomial name
Muntiacus truongsonensis
Giao et al., 1997

Truong Son Muntjac or Annamite Muntjac (Muntiacus truongsonensis) is a species of muntjac deer. It is one of the smallest muntjac species, at about 15 kg, half the size of the Indian Muntjac (or Common Muntjac). It was discovered in the Truong Son mountain range in Vietnam in 1997.

It was identified by examination of skulls and descriptions provided by villagers, who call it samsoi cacoong, or "the deer that lives in the deep, thick forest." It lives at altitudes of 400-1000 metres, where its small size allows it to move through dense undergrowth.

References

  1. ^ Timmins, R.J., Duckworth, J.W. & Long, B. (2008). Muntiacus truongsonensis. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 April 2009. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of data deficient.