Musk deer

Short description: Genus of mammals

Musk deer

Temporal range: Late Miocene–recent

PreЄ

Siberian musk deer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Order:  | Artiodactyla
Family:  | Moschidae
Gray, 1821
Genus:  | Moschus
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Moschus moschiferus

Linnaeus, 1758

Species

* M. anhuiensis – Anhui musk deer
* M. berezovskii – Dwarf musk deer
* M. chrysogaster – Alpine musk deer
* M. cupreus – Kashmir musk deer
* M. fuscus – Black musk deer
* M. leucogaster – White-bellied musk deer
* M. moschiferus – Siberian musk deer

Musk deer can refer to any one, or all eight, of the species that make up Moschus, the only extant genus of the family Moschidae.[1] Despite being commonly called deer, they are not true deer belonging to the family Cervidae, but rather their family is closely related to Bovidae, the group that contains antelopes, bovines, sheep, and goats. The musk deer family differs from cervids, or true deer, by lacking antlers and preorbital glands also, possessing only a single pair of teats, a gallbladder,[2] a caudal gland, a pair of canine tusks and--of particular economic importance to humans--a musk gland.

Musk deer live mainly in forested and alpine scrub habitats in the mountains of South Asia, notably the Himalayas. Moschids, the proper term when referring to this type of deer rather than one/multiple species of musk deer, are entirely Asian in their present distribution, being extinct in Europe where the earliest musk deer are known to have existed from Oligocene deposits.

## Contents

* 1 Characteristics
* 2 Population
* 3 Habitat
* 4 Evolution
* 4.1 Taxonomy
* 5 See also
* 6 References

## Characteristics

Skull of a buck showing the characteristic teeth

Musk deer resemble small deer, with a stocky build and hind legs longer than their front legs. They are about 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 in) long, 50 to 70 cm (20 to 28 in) high at the shoulder, and weigh between 7 and 17 kg (15 and 37 lb). The feet of musk deer are adapted for climbing in rough terrain. Like the Chinese water deer, a cervid, they have no antlers, but the males do have enlarged upper canines, forming sabre-like tusks. The dental formula is similar to that of true deer: 0.1.3.33.1.3.3.

The musk gland is found only in adult males. It lies in a sac located between the genitals and the umbilicus, and its secretions are most likely used to attract mates.

Musk deer are herbivores, living in hilly, forested environments, generally far from human habitation. Like true deer, they eat mainly leaves, flowers, and grasses, with some mosses and lichens. They are solitary animals and maintain well-defined territories, which they scent mark with their caudal glands. Musk deer are generally shy and either nocturnal or crepuscular.

Males leave their territories during the rutting season and compete for mates, using their tusks as weapons. In order to indicate their area, musk deer build latrines. These locations can be used to identify the musk deer's existence, number, and preferred habitat in the wild. Female musk deer give birth to a single fawn after about 150–180 days. The newborn young are very small and essentially motionless for the first month of their lives, a feature that helps them remain hidden from predators.[3]

Musk deer have been hunted for their scent glands, which are used in perfumes. The glands can fetch up to $45,000/kg on the black market.[clarification needed] It is rumored that ancient royalty wore the scent of the musk deer, and that it is an aphrodisiac.[4]

## Population

Musk deer have a global population between 400,000 and 800,000 currently; however, the exact count is undetermined.[5] They are widely spread; however, their population density increases within China, Russia, and Mongolia. Musk deer are commonly found in China, and they are spread over 17 provinces.[6][7][8] This population is mainly located around the Himalayas in southern Asia, southeast Asia, and eastern Asia.[7] They are also found in a few spots in Russia. As of 2003, they became a protected species due to their declined overall population.[6] Musk deer have many subspecies that have varying population sizes, within the overall total, and all are threatened.[6] Over the past twenty years, the populations have been able to slightly recover due to the captive breeding of these animals, specifically in China.[8] Musk deer populations are recovering due to the protocols and rules being set in place to protect the species.[8]

## Habitat

The musk deer species is generally solitary and lives in the higher regions of mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas. The varying species' habitats include different atmospheres and necessary resources for their survival, while including similar universal resources. Musk deer population has been declining recently due to environmental and human factors.[5] As a large-bodied mammal, they have great needs that are not able to be sustained due to habitat fragmentation.[9] This species is largely protected due to the threat of extinction, due to the increase in illegal hunting. Illegal hunting has significantly decreased the population throughout many of the provinces musk deer occupy.[8] Their habitats are being lost to colonization and deforestation and hunting for musk deer was on the rise.[6] They were hunted for their distinct products that are very valuable in the market.[7] Since then, the Chinese government has stepped in to regulate these issues.[6] They have placed rules pertaining to the killing of musk deer and created havens for the deer to survive. To help with the declining numbers, the deforestation of their natural habitat should be stopped and new habitats should be invested in them.[5] Global climate change has also driven the musk deer population down. The warmer climates result in the drive to higher elevations and latitudes.[10] Global warming and habitat fragmentation are two causes for the population decrease.

## Evolution

Skeleton of Micromeryx showing the general skeletal features

Musk deer are the only surviving members of the Moschidae, a family with a fossil record extending over 25 million years to the late Oligocene. The group was abundant across Eurasia and North America until the late Miocene, but underwent a substantial decline, with no Pliocene fossil record and Moschus the only genus since the Pleistocene. The oldest records of the genus Moschus are known from the Late Miocene (Turolian) of Lufeng, China.[11]

### Taxonomy

For a complete taxonomy, see Moschidae.

While they have been traditionally classified as members of the deer family (as the subfamily "Moschinae") and all the species were classified as one species (under Moschus moschiferus), recent studies have indicated that moschids are more closely related to bovids (antelope, goats, sheep and cattle).[12][13]

Genus Moschus Species name  | Common name  | Distribution

|
|

M. moschiferus | Siberian musk deer | North East Asia
M. anhuiensis | Anhui musk deer | Eastern China
M. berezovskii | Dwarf musk deer | South China and Northern Vietnam
M. fuscus | Black musk deer | Eastern Himalayas
M. chrysogaster | Alpine musk deer | Eastern Himalayas
M. cupreus | Kashmir musk deer | Western Himalayas and Hindu Kush
M. leucogaster | White-bellied musk deer  | Central Himalayas

* Dwarf musk deer

* Black musk deer

* Alpine musk deer

## See also

* Vampire deer

## References

1. ↑ "Moschus (musk deer) Classification". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Moschus.html#Moschus.
2. ↑ "On the structure and affinities of the musk-deer (Moschus mosciferus, Linn.)". 1875. https://archive.org/details/b22455310/mode/2up?q=gall.
3. ↑ "Deer". The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. 1984. pp. 518–9. ISBN 978-0-87196-871-5. https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0/page/518.
4. ↑ Wild Russia, Discovery Channel
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Green, Michael J.B. (1986). "The distribution, status and conservation of the Himalayan musk deer Moschus chrysogaster". Biological Conservation 35 (4): 347–375. doi:10.1016/0006-3207(86)90094-7. Bibcode: 1986BCons..35..347G. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0006320786900947.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Meng, X; Yang, Q (March 2003). "Conservation status and causes of decline of musk deer (Moschus spp.) in China". Biological Conservation 109 (3): 333–342. doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(02)00159-3. Bibcode: 2003BCons.109..333Y. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320702001593#preview-section-abstract.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Zhou, Yijun; Meng, Xiuxiang; Feng, Jinchao; Yang, Qisen; Feng, Zuojian; Xia, Lin; Bartoš, Luděk (June 8, 2004). "Review of the distribution, status and conservation of musk deer in China". Folia Zoologica-Praha 53 (2): 129–140. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230561092.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Liu, Gang; Zhang, Bao-Feng; Chang, Jiang; Hu, Xiao-Long; Li, Chao; Xu, Tin-Tao; Liu, Shu-Qiang; Hu, De-Fu (2022-09-23). "Population genomics reveals moderate genetic differentiation between populations of endangered Forest Musk Deer located in Shaanxi and Sichuan" (in en). BMC Genomics 23 (1): 668. doi:10.1186/s12864-022-08896-9. ISSN 1471-2164. PMID 36138352.
9. ↑ Zhixiao, Liu; Helin, Sheng (2002-03-01). "Effect of Habitat Fragmentation and Isolation on the Population of Alpine Musk Deer" (in en). Russian Journal of Ecology 33 (2): 121–124. doi:10.1023/A:1014456909480. ISSN 1608-3334.
10. ↑ Jiang, Feng; Zhang, Jingjie; Gao, Hongmei; Cai, Zhenyuan; Zhou, Xiaowen; Li, Shengqing; Zhang, Tongzuo (February 2020). "Musk deer (Moschus spp.) face redistribution to higher elevations and latitudes under climate change in China". Science of the Total Environment 704. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135335. ISSN 0048-9697. PMID 31784177. Bibcode: 2020ScTEn.70435335J.
11. ↑ G. Qi. 1985. Stratigraphic summarization of Ramapithecus fossil locality, Lufeng, Yunnan. Acta Anthropologica Sinica (Renleixue xuebao) 4(1): 55–69
12. ↑ "Molecular and morphological phylogenies of ruminantia and the alternative position of the moschidae". Systematic Biology 52 (2): 206–28. April 2003. doi:10.1080/10635150390192726. PMID 12746147.
13. ↑ "Molecular phylogeny of musk deer: a genomic view with mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome b gene". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42 (3): 585–97. March 2007. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.06.020. PMID 17158073. Bibcode: 2007MolPE..42..585G.

* v
* t
* e

Extant Artiodactyla species

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Mammalia
* Infraclass: Eutheria
* Superorder: Laurasiatheria

Suborder Ruminantia

| Antilocapridae|

| Antilocapra|

* Pronghorn (A. americana)

|

Giraffidae|

| Okapia|

* Okapi (O. johnstoni)

|

Giraffa|

* Northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis)
* Southern giraffe (G. giraffa)
* Reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata)
* Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi)

Moschidae|

| Moschus|

* Anhui musk deer (M. anhuiensis)
* Dwarf musk deer (M. berezovskii)
* Alpine musk deer (M. chrysogaster)
* Kashmir musk deer (M. cupreus)
* Black musk deer (M. fuscus)
* Himalayan musk deer (M. leucogaster)
* Siberian musk deer (M. moschiferus)

|

Tragulidae|

| Hyemoschus|

* Water chevrotain (H. aquaticus)

|

Moschiola|

* Indian spotted chevrotain (M. indica)
* Yellow-striped chevrotain (M. kathygre)
* Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain (M. meminna)

Tragulus|

* Java mouse-deer (T. javanicus)
* Lesser mouse-deer (T. kanchil)
* Greater mouse-deer (T. napu)
* Philippine mouse-deer (T. nigricans)
* Vietnam mouse-deer (T. versicolor)
* Williamson's mouse-deer (T. williamsoni)

Cervidae|

Large family listed below

Bovidae|

Large family listed below

Family Cervidae

| Cervinae|

| Muntiacus|

* Indian muntjac (M. muntjak)
* Reeves's muntjac (M. reevesi)
* Hairy-fronted muntjac (M. crinifrons)
* Fea's muntjac (M. feae)
* Bornean yellow muntjac (M. atherodes)
* Roosevelt's muntjac (M. rooseveltorum)
* Gongshan muntjac (M. gongshanensis)
* Giant muntjac (M. vuquangensis)
* Truong Son muntjac (M. truongsonensis)
* Leaf muntjac (M. putaoensis)
* Sumatran muntjac (M. montanus)
* Pu Hoat muntjac (M. puhoatensis)

|

Elaphodus|

* Tufted deer (E. cephalophus)

Dama|

* Fallow deer (D. dama)
* Persian fallow deer (D. mesopotamica)

Axis|

* Chital (A. axis)

Rucervus|

* Barasingha (R. duvaucelii)

Panolia|

* Eld's deer (P. eldii)

Elaphurus|

* Père David's deer (E. davidianus)

Hyelaphus|

* Hog deer (H. porcinus)
* Calamian deer (H. calamianensis)
* Bawean deer (H. kuhlii)

Rusa|

* Sambar (R. unicolor)
* Rusa deer (R. timorensis)
* Philippine sambar (R. mariannus)
* Philippine spotted deer (R. alfredi)

Cervus|

* Red deer (C. elaphus)
* Elk (C. canadensis)
* Thorold's deer (C. albirostris)
* Sika deer (C. nippon)

Capreolinae|

| Alces|

* Moose (A. alces)

|

Hydropotes|

* Water deer (H. inermis)

Capreolus|

* European roe deer (C. capreolus)
* Siberian roe deer (C. pygargus)

Rangifer|

* Reindeer (R. tarandus)

Hippocamelus|

* Taruca (H. antisensis)
* South Andean deer (H. bisulcus)

Mazama|

* Red brocket (M. americana)
* Small red brocket (M. bororo)
* Merida brocket (M. bricenii)
* Dwarf brocket (M. chunyi)
* Gray brocket (M. gouazoubira)
* Pygmy brocket (M. nana)
* Amazonian brown brocket (M. nemorivaga)
* Yucatan brown brocket (M. pandora)
* Little red brocket (M. rufina)
* Central American red brocket (M. temama)

Ozotoceros|

* Pampas deer (O. bezoarticus)

Blastocerus|

* Marsh deer (B. dichotomus)

Pudu|

* Northern pudú (P. mephistophiles)
* Southern pudú (P. pudu)

Odocoileus|

* White-tailed deer (O. virginianus)
* Mule deer (O. hemionus)

Family Bovidae

| Cephalophinae|

| Cephalophus|

* Abbott's duiker (C. spadix)
* Aders's duiker (C. adersi)
* Bay duiker (C. dorsalis)
* Black duiker (C. niger)
* Black-fronted duiker (C. nigrifrons)
* Brooke's duiker (C. brookei)
* Harvey's duiker (C. harveyi)
* Jentink's duiker (C. jentinki)
* Ogilby's duiker (C. ogilbyi)
* Peters' duiker (C. callipygus)
* Red-flanked duiker (C. rufilatus)
* Red forest duiker (C. natalensis)
* Ruwenzori duiker (C. rubidis)
* Weyns's duiker (C. weynsi)
* White-bellied duiker (C. leucogaster)
* White-legged duiker (C. crusalbum)
* Yellow-backed duiker (C. silvicultor)
* Zebra duiker (C. zebra)

|

Philantomba|

* Blue duiker (P. monticola)
* Maxwell's duiker (P. maxwellii)
* Walter's duiker (P. walteri)

Sylvicapra|

* Common duiker (S. grimmia)

Hippotraginae|

| Hippotragus|

* Roan antelope (H. equinus)
* Sable antelope (H. niger)

|

Oryx|

* East African oryx (O. beisa)
* Scimitar oryx (O. dammah)
* Gemsbok (O. gazella)
* Arabian oryx (O. leucoryx)

Addax|

* Addax (A. nasomaculatus)

Reduncinae|

| Kobus|

* Upemba lechwe (K. anselli)
* Waterbuck (K. ellipsiprymnus)
* Kob (K. kob)
* Lechwe (K. leche)
* Nile lechwe (K. megaceros)
* Puku (K. vardonii)

|

Redunca|

* Southern reedbuck (R. arundinum)
* Mountain reedbuck (R. fulvorufula)
* Bohor reedbuck (R. redunca)

Aepycerotinae|

| Aepyceros|

* Impala (A. melampus)

|

Peleinae|

| Pelea|

* Grey rhebok (P. capreolus)

|

Alcelaphinae|

| Beatragus|

* Hirola (B. hunteri)

|

Damaliscus|

* Topi (D. korrigum)
* Common tsessebe (D. lunatus)
* Bontebok (D. pygargus)
* Bangweulu tsessebe (D. superstes)

Alcelaphus|

* Hartebeest (A. buselaphus)
* Red hartebeest (A. caama)
* Lichtenstein's hartebeest (A. lichtensteinii)

Connochaetes|

* Black wildebeest (C. gnou)
* Blue wildebeest (C. taurinus)

Pantholopinae|

| Pantholops|

* Tibetan antelope (P. hodgsonii)

|

Caprinae|

Large subfamily listed below

Bovinae|

Large subfamily listed below

Antilopinae|

Large subfamily listed below

Family Bovidae (subfamily Caprinae)

| Ammotragus|

* Barbary sheep (A. lervia)

|

Budorcas|

* Takin (B. taxicolor)

Capra|

* Wild goat (C. aegagrus)
* Domestic goat (C. aegagrus hircus)
* West Caucasian tur (C. caucasia)
* East Caucasian tur (C. cylindricornis)
* Markhor (C. falconeri)
* Alpine ibex (C. ibex)
* Nubian ibex (C. nubiana)
* Iberian ibex (C. pyrenaica)
* Siberian ibex (C. sibirica)
* Walia ibex (C. walie)

Capricornis|

* Japanese serow (C. crispus)
* Taiwan serow (C. swinhoei)
* Sumatran serow (C. sumatraensis)
* Mainland serow (C. milneedwardsii)
* Red serow (C. rubidusi)
* Himalayan serow (C. thar)

Hemitragus|

* Nilgiri tahr (H. hylocrius)
* Arabian tahr (H. jayakari)
* Himalayan tahr (H. jemlahicus)

Naemorhedus|

* Red goral (N. baileyi)
* Long-tailed goral (N. caudatus)
* Himalayan goral (N. goral)
* Chinese goral (N. griseus)

Oreamnos|

* Mountain goat (O. americanus)

Ovibos|

* Muskox (O. moschatus)

Ovis|

* Argali (O. ammon)
* Domestic sheep (O. aries)
* Bighorn sheep (O. canadensis)
* Dall sheep (O. dalli)
* Mouflon (O. musimon)
* Snow sheep (O. nivicola)
* Urial (O. orientalis)

Pseudois|

* Bharal (P. nayaur)
* Dwarf blue sheep (P. schaeferi)

Rupicapra|

* Pyrenean chamois (R. pyrenaica)
* Alpine chamois (R. rupicapra)

Family Bovidae (subfamily Bovinae)

| Boselaphini|

| Tetracerus|

* Four-horned antelope (T. quadricornis)

|

Boselaphus|

* Nilgai (B. tragocamelus)

Bovini|

| Bubalus|

* Domestic water buffalo (B. bubalis)
* Wild water buffalo (B. arnee)
* Lowland anoa (B. depressicornis)
* Mountain anoa (B. quarlesi)
* Tamaraw (B. mindorensis)

|

Bos|

* Banteng (B. javanicus)
* Gaur (B. gaurus)
* Gayal (B. frontalis)
* Domestic yak (B. grunniens)
* Wild yak (B. mutus)
* Cattle (B. taurus)
* Kouprey (B. sauveli)

Pseudonovibos|

* Kting voar (P. spiralis)

Pseudoryx|

* Saola (P. nghetinhensis)

Syncerus|

* African buffalo (S. caffer)

Bison|

* American bison (B. bison)
* European bison (B. bonasus)

Tragelaphini|

| Tragelaphus
(including kudus)|

* Sitatunga (T. spekeii)
* Nyala (T. angasii)
* Harnessed bushbuck (T. scriptus)
* Cape bushbuck (T. sylvaticus)
* Mountain nyala (T. buxtoni)
* Lesser kudu (T. imberbis)
* Greater kudu (T. strepsiceros)
* Bongo (T. eurycerus)

|

Taurotragus|

* Common eland (T. oryx)
* Giant eland (T. derbianus)

Family Bovidae (subfamily Antilopinae)

| Antilopini|

| Ammodorcas|

* Dibatag (A. clarkei)

|

Antidorcas|

* Springbok (A. marsupialis)

Antilope|

* Blackbuck (A. cervicapra)

Eudorcas|

* Mongalla gazelle (E. albonotata)
* Red-fronted gazelle (E. rufifrons)
* Thomson's gazelle (E. thomsonii)
* Heuglin's gazelle (E. tilonura)

Gazella|

* Mountain gazelle (G. gazella)
* Neumann's gazelle (G. erlangeri)
* Speke's gazelle (G. spekei)
* Dorcas gazelle (G. dorcas)
* Chinkara (G. bennettii)
* Cuvier's gazelle (G. cuvieri)
* Rhim gazelle (G. leptoceros)
* Goitered gazelle (G. subgutturosa)

Litocranius|

* Gerenuk (L. walleri)

Nanger|

* Dama gazelle (N. dama)
* Grant's gazelle (N. granti)
* Soemmerring's gazelle (N. soemmerringii)

Procapra|

* Mongolian gazelle (P. gutturosa)
* Goa (P. picticaudata)
* Przewalski's gazelle (P. przewalskii)

Saigini|

| Pantholops|

* Tibetan antelope (P. hodgsonii)

|

Saiga|

* Saiga antelope (S. tatarica)

Neotragini|

| Dorcatragus|

* Beira (D. megalotis)

|

Madoqua|

* Günther's dik-dik (M. guentheri)
* Kirk's dik-dik (M. kirkii)
* Silver dik-dik (M. piacentinii)
* Salt's dik-dik (M. saltiana)

Neotragus|

* Bates' pygmy antelope (N. batesi)
* Suni (N. moschatus)
* Royal antelope (N. pygmaeus)

Oreotragus|

* Klipspringer (O. oreotragus)

Ourebia|

* Oribi (O. ourebi)

Raphicerus|

* Steenbok (R. campestris)
* Cape grysbok (R. melanotis)
* Sharpe's grysbok (R. sharpei)

Suborder Suina

| Suidae|

| Babyrousa|

* Buru babirusa (B. babyrussa)
* North Sulawesi babirusa (B. celebensis)
* Togian babirusa (B. togeanensis)

|

Hylochoerus|

* Giant forest hog (H. meinertzhageni)

Phacochoerus|

* Desert warthog (P. aethiopicus)
* Common warthog (P. africanus)

Porcula|

* Pygmy hog (P. salvania)

Potamochoerus|

* Bushpig (P. larvatus)
* Red river hog (P. porcus)

Sus
(Pigs)|

* Palawan bearded pig (S. ahoenobarbus)
* Bornean bearded pig (S. barbatus)
* Indochinese warty pig (S. bucculentus)
* Visayan warty pig (S. cebifrons)
* Celebes warty pig (S. celebensis)
* Flores warty pig (S. heureni)
* Oliver's warty pig (S. oliveri)
* Philippine warty pig (S. philippensis)
* Wild boar (S. scrofa)
* Timor warty pig (S. timoriensis)
* Javan warty pig (S. verrucosus)

Tayassuidae|

| Tayassu|

* White-lipped peccary (T. pecari)

|

Catagonus|

* Chacoan peccary (C. wagneri)

Pecari|

* Collared peccary (P. tajacu)
* Giant peccary (P. maximus)

Suborder Tylopoda

| Camelidae|

| Lama|

* Llama (L. glama)
* Guanaco (L. guanicoe)

|

Vicugna|

* Vicuña (V. vicugna)
* Alpaca (V. pacos)

Camelus|

* Dromedary/Arabian camel (C. dromedarius)
* Domestic Bactrian camel (C. bactrianus)
* Wild Bactrian camel (C. ferus)

Whippomorpha (unranked clade)

| Hippopotamidae|

| Hippopotamus|

* Hippopotamus (H. amphibius)

|

Choeropsis|

* Pygmy hippopotamus (C. liberiensis)

Wikidata ☰ Q3866060 entry

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