David M. Leslie Jr., Dana N. Lee, Richard W. Dolman
Mammalian Species 45 (904), 80-91, (13 December 2013) https://doi.org/10.1644/904.1
KEYWORDS: China, mountain forests, Myanmar, near threatened, solitary cervid, Southeast Asia, territorial cervid, tufted deer
Elaphodus cephalophus Milne-Edwards, 1872 (tufted deer) is usually considered polytypic with 3 or 4 recognized subspecies, depending on the source. It is a small dark chocolate-brown deer typified by a tuft of hair on its crown, sharp upper canines that protrude downward from under the upper lip, and rudimentary antlers on males; it is similar to muntjacs, to which it is closely related. E. cephalophus occurs in humid, montane forests at elevations of 300–4,750 m in southwestern through southeastern China and perhaps northwestern Myanmar (historical records). Vulnerable to poaching in remote areas and relatively uncommon in zoos, it is considered vulnerable as a Class II species in China and listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.