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| Northern pudu | |
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| Northern pudu (P. mephistophiles) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Cervidae |
| Subfamily: | Capreolinae |
| Genus: | Pudella |
| Species: | P. mephistophiles |
| Binomial name | |
| Pudella mephistophiles (de Winton, 1896) | |
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| Geographic range ofPudu mephistophiles | |
| Synonyms | |
Pudua mephistophilesde Winton, 1896[3] | |
Thenorthern pudu (Pudella mephistophiles,Mapudungunpüdü orpüdu,[4]Spanish:pudú,Spanish pronunciation:[puˈðu]) is a species ofSouth American deer native to theAndes ofColombia,Venezuela,Peru andEcuador. It is the world's smallestdeer[5] and is classified as Data Deficient in theIUCN Red List.[1] Originally classified under genusPudu, some authorities consider it to belong to a separate genus (Pudella) from thesouthern pudu, along withPudella carlae.[6]
The northern pudu is the smallest species of deer in the world, standing 32 to 35 cm (13 to 14 in) tall at the shoulder and weighing 3.3 to 6 kg (7.3 to 13.2 lb).[7] The antlers of the northern pudu grow to about 6 cm (2.4 in) long and curve backward. Its coat tends to be lighter than that of thesouthern pudu, but the face is darker compared to the coat.[7]
The northern pudu is found at higher altitudes than its sister species, from 2,000 to 4,000 m (6,600 to 13,100 ft) abovesea level. It has a discontinuous range across the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It inhabits montane forests, high-elevation elfin forests, and humid alpinepáramo grasslands above the tree-line. TheMarañón dry forests are a gap in the species' range, separating the Ecuadorian population from the Peruvian population in thePeruvian Yungas south of theMarañón River.[1]
