| Philippine Mouse-deer | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Tragulidae |
| Genus: | Tragulus |
| Species: | T. nigricans |
| Binomial name | |
| Tragulus nigricans Thomas, 1892 |
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| Synonyms | |
|
Tragulus napu nigricans Muntiacus nigricans |
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The Philippine Mouse-deer (Tragulus nigricans), also known as the Balabac Mouse Deer or Pilandok (in Filipino), is a small, nocturnal ruminant, which is endemic to Balabac and nearby smaller islands south-west of Palawan in the Philippines. It has often been considered a subspecies of the Greater Mouse Deer (T. napu). Contrary to its common name, the Philippine mouse deer does not belong to the deer family Cervidae, but is a member of the chevrotain family.
Contents |
Anatomy and morphology
It has a brown coat with black and white stripes. The Philippine Mouse-deer is only 40 centimeters at the shoulder level and is thereby one of the smallest ungulates. The male of its species does not have any antlers like a real deer. They use their large, tusk-like canine teeth on the upper jaw for self-defense.
Ecology and life history
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This section requires expansion. |
Culture
The Philippine Mouse-deer is usually portrayed as a trickster in Philippine folklore. In a Maranao tale, the Philippine Mouse-deer tricks a prince into giving up his bag of gold and face a hive of angry bees.
Conservation
Edingburh zoo currently contains a breeding pair.
References
- ^ Oliver, W., Matillano, J. & Widmann, P. (2008). Tragulus nigricans. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 6 November 2009. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of endangered.
- Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M.. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.
- UCN Red List of Threatened Species: Tragulus napu ssp. nigricans
- BioLib - Tragulus nigricans (Balabac mouse deer)
- Smallest in the Philippines
- The Philippines in Brief (Cliparts and Graphics)
- Tales of Laughter - Pilandok and the Sumusong-sa-Alongan
References
- ^ Oliver, W., Matillano, J. & Widmann, P. (2008). Tragulus nigricans. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 6 November 2009. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of endangered.
also it is known for its smartness
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