Cedros Island mule deer

The Cedros Island mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus cerrosensis) is a subspecies of mule deer[2] found only on Cedros Island off the coast of Baja California. Only about 50 individuals remain, with no captive population. Its behavior is similar to that of other subspecies of mule deer. The subspecies is threatened by feral dogs and poaching.[1][3]

Cedros Island mule deer
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Cervidae
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Odocoileus
Species:
O. hemionus
Subspecies:
O. h. cerrosensis
Trinomial name
Odocoileus hemionus cerrosensis
Merriam, 1898

Anatomy

The Cedros island mule deer shows a reduction in body size and antler size compared to mainland deer, which is an effect of isolation in a relatively small island, according to the "island rule" of Leigh Van Valen. There are also differences in fur coloration which distinguish cerrosensis from other mule deer, but most closely resembling Odocoileus hemionus fuliginatus.[4]

Subspecies classification

Cerrosensis is one the ten named subspecies of mule deer. Although it may be a may be synonyms of O. h. eremicus or O. h. peninsulae,[5] studies based on DNA samples, rather than observation, can show clearer objective differences.[6] In the case of the Cedros deer, its status as a valid subspecies can be defended due to their endemicity to the island, morphological differences, and distinct mitochondrial patterns.[4]

Distribution

Cedros deer primarily occupy the northern side of the island, being less common in the southern section, where human activity is more prevalent.[4]

See also

References
  1. Sanchez Rojas, G. & Gallina Tessaro, S. (2008). "Odocoileus hemionus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2011.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Grubb, P. (2005). "Order Artiodactyla". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 657–658. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  3. Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World, Volume 4
  4. Alminas, Ona (December 2013). MSc Thesis: Phylogeographic Inference of Insular Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) Divergence in North America 's Desert Southwest. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  5. Feldhamer, George A.; Thompson, Bruce C.; Chapman, Joseph A. (19 November 2003). Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-7416-1.
  6. Gill, Chris (28 December 2018). "What We Know About Mule Deer Subspecies". Pitchstone Waters. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
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