Muntiacus putaoensis, Amato, Egan & Rabinowitz, 1999

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Cervidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 350-443 : 411

9.

Leat Mungac

Muntiacus putaoensis

French: Muntjac de Putao / German: Burma-Muntjak / Spanish: Muntiaco de Putao

Taxonomy. Muntiacus putaoensis Amato, Egan & Rabinowitz, 1999 ,

Atanga, Putao ( Myanmar). It belongs to the rooseveltorum species complex. The name comes from its diminutive size, small enough to be wrapped in a leaf of Phrynium. Monotypic.

Distribution. NE India and N Myanmar.

Descriptive notes. Few measurements available. Shoulder height 40 cm, weight 12 kg. Males and females of equal size. Smallest of the muntjacs, with short pedicles about 3 cm long, tiny unbranched antlers 1-4 cm in length, often hidden by fur. Coat reddishbrown, legs and face slightly darker. The tail is orange-red dorsally. Preorbital fossa relatively large. Females have prominent upper canines. Fawns possibly unspotted.

Habitat. Forest-dweller, it has been recorded from 700 m to 1200 m above sea level.

Food and Feeding. It feeds on browse and fruit. Stomach contents examined from specimens in Myanmar revealed mainly fruit remains.

Breeding. Both pregnant and lactating females have been taken in May, in Myanmar.

Activity patterns. Nothing is known, but similar muntjacs are frequently crepuscular, with others both diurnal and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Nothing is known.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List for the lack of certainty about morphology, taxonomy, distribution, and ecology. Evidence of persistent hunting by local people suggests that numbers may be decreasing.

Bibliography. Amato, Egan & Rabinowitz (1999), Amato, Egan & Schaller (2000), Datta et al. (2003), James et al. (2008), Rabinowitz et al. (1999), Timmins, Duckwork & Zaw (2008b).

Figures

1. Tufted Deer (Elaphodus cephalophus), 2. Bornean Yellow Muntjac (Muntiacus atherodes), 3. Reeves’s Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), 4. Giant Muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis), 5. Fea’s Muntjac (Muntiacus feae), 6. Gongshan Muntjac (Muntiacus gongshanensis), 7. Black Muntjac (Muntiacus crinifrons), 8. Red Muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), 9. Leat Mungac (Muntiacus putaoensis), 10. Puhoat Muntjac (Muntiacus puhoatensis), 11. Annamite Mungac (Muntiacus truongsonensis), 12. Roosevelts’ Muntjac (Muntiacus rooseveltorum)

Distribution. NE India and N Myanmar .