Fea's muntjac

Tenasserim muntjac at Dusit Zoo, Bangkok

The Tenasserim muntjac ( Muntiacus feae ), also referred to as Feas muntjac, is a deer from the kind of barking. It is found in Myanmar and Thailand. The specific epithet honors the Italian scientist Leonardo Fea.

Features

The Tenasserim muntjac reaches a head -body length of 88 centimeters, a shoulder height of 50 to 55 centimeters and a tail length of 10 centimeters. The weight is 22 kilograms. The top is dark brown with fine yellow spots. The underside is brown, sometimes with brown areas. The legs are black on the back hooves. At the front of the rear legs white stripes can be seen. The face sides are dark brown. The skull, the tusks and ears base are yellowish brown, except for a black stripe that runs above the eye on the inside of Hauer. The short tail is black on top and white on the underside. The tusks and some tears from the eye are well developed. The antlers are relatively short.

Dissemination

Usually the distribution area with Isthmus of Kra is indicated north and east through southern Myanmar and neighboring Thailand. However, there was until recently little evidence from both countries. The Terra typica lies to the east of Moulmein in Muang district of Myanmar. The Thai animals in captivity are from the Suratthani province, from Raheng and Pangna province northeast of Phuket. Photos of several barking from the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand probably represent this species also a presence of Tenasserim muntjac in China is not confirmed.

Habitat and behavior

About the habitat and way of life, there are few information. The Tenasserim muntjac inhabits evergreen forests on hills and mountains. In Myanmar, is the way - due to the humid climate - to observe the whole year round in the lowlands. In eastern Thailand, he comes in dry forest types found in deeper altitudes. The Tenasserim muntjac roams einzelgängerisch the undergrowth and preferably fruits and leaves as food.

Status

Due to uncertain information about its distribution area of ​​the Tenasserim muntjac by the IUCN in the category of " insufficient data " ( data deficient ) substance. Habitat loss and hunting represent a potential hazard dar. In Thailand, the forest habitat are well protected in the Tenasserim region of Myanmar, the habitat is threatened by the conversion of forests into palm plantations.

System

The taxonomic position of the Tenasserim muntjac is not clearly understood. In none of the current treatises apparently the holotype was examined and also the zoologist Peter Grubb, who provided the type 1977 in the genus Muntiacus, had just photos from the skull available. However, it has become necessary with the discovery of several new muntjac species in Southeast Asia a review of the holotype, in order to clarify the characteristics and status of animals in human care (including the Dusit Zoo ) as well as some specimens at the Natural History Museum to confirm. Barking from Vietnam, previously considered a subspecies of the Tenasserim muntjac, are now considered as a separate taxon Muntiacus rooseveltum.