Neha Patil (Editor)

Roosevelt's muntjac

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Kingdom
  
Subfamily
  
Scientific name
  
Muntiacus rooseveltorum

Higher classification
  
Muntjac

Order
  
Even-toed ungulate

Family
  
Cervidae

Genus
  
Muntiacus

Phylum
  
Chordata

Rank
  
Species

Roosevelt's muntjac s3amazonawscommongabayimages140325roosevelt

Similar
  
Gongshan muntjac, Truong Son muntjac, Merida brocket, Yucatan brown brocket, Dwarf brocket

A single specimen of the Roosevelt's muntjac or Roosevelt's barking deer (Muntiacus rooseveltorum) was presented to the Field Museum in 1929 following the Kelley-Roosevelts expedition organized by Theodore (Jnr) and Kermit Roosevelt. The specimen is slightly smaller than the common muntjac and DNA testing has shown it to be distinct from recently discovered muntjac species. It is a subspecies of Fea's muntjac, whose home range is mountains further northwest separated by lower land. However, without further evidence, the exact position of Roosevelt's muntjac cannot be stated. Berlin Zoo supposedly held this species between 1961 and 1972 (following an import from Northern Vietnam) but it could've been an Indian muntjac subspecies annamensis.

Roosevelt's muntjac was believed to have been extinct since 1929. However, there have been several recent claims to have rediscovered the species, from evidence including skulls owned by villagers in the Truong Son (Annamite) mountains between Laos and Vietnam. More recently, photographs from a camera trap at Xuan Lien Nature Reserve in Vietnam appear to have identified two individuals.

References

Roosevelt's muntjac Wikipedia