| Northern red muntjac | |
|---|---|
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| Northern red muntjac (♀) pictured inKhao Yai National Park, Thailand, July 2015 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Cervidae |
| Genus: | Muntiacus |
| Species: | M. vaginalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Muntiacus vaginalis (Boddaert, 1785) | |
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| Range of the northern red muntjac (M. vaginalis) and the southern red muntjac (M. muntjak) | |
TheNorthern red muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis)[1][2] is a species ofmuntjac. It is found in numerous countries of south-central and southeast Asia.[1]
The northern red muntjac inhabits various forest types, from tropical rainforests to deciduous and evergreen forests, and is adaptable to secondary forests and human-altered landscapes.
Males are characterized by short antlers and elongated upper canines, which they use in territorial and mating disputes. The species is known for its distinctive bark-like calls, serving as alarm signals or communication between individuals.
It was recently found distinct from thesouthern red muntjac (previously typically known as Indian muntjac) and includes all the population previously attributed toM. muntjak that are outside ofSunda and perhaps of Malaysia.[1]
The subspeciesbancanus,montanus,muntjak,nainggolani,peninsulae,pleiharicus,robinsoni, andrubidus stay in the southern red muntjac (M. muntjak), whileannamensis,aureus,curvostylis,grandicornis, andnigripes are now attributed to the northern red muntjac (M. vaginalis).[3]
The northern red muntjac occurs in twelve countries of south-central and south-east Asia includingPakistan,Bhutan,Myanmar,Nepal,India,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,China,Cambodia,Laos,Thailand, andVietnam.[1]
It is also present inHong Kong. Its presence inMalaysia is uncertain.[1]
It is listed as "Least Concern" by theIUCN due to its large distribution, presence in protected areas and resilience to hunting and habitat change.[1]
Due to the degradation of habitat and hunting for their body parts and meat, muntjac populations are drastically decreasing throughout their range.[4]
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