Odocoileus hemionus

• Main Authors: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2011
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Artiodactyla; Cervidae; Odocoileus; Odocoileus hemionus; Pacific; Ice Sheet; Alaska
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6514565; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A087C4FFD8FFD9FF0FFDF3EF17FC54

37. Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus French: Cerf mulet / German: Maultierhirsch / Spanish: Ciervo mulo Other common names: Black-tailed Deer (columbianus and sitkensis) Taxonomy. Cervus hemionus Rafinesque, 1817, Big Sioux River, South Dakota (USA). A study on mtDNA has confirmed that there are two distinct groups, a northern coastal one (“Black-tailed Deer”) and an eastern and south-western one (true Mule Deer). The large divergence between these two lineages seems to provide evidence for separate ice-free refugia during the last glacial maximum, about 18,000 years ago. Mule Deer persisted south of the ice sheet in multiple refugial populations. Black-tailed Deer probably survived in a single refugium in the Pacific Northwest, with a slow post-glacial recolonization, resulting in a loss of genetic diversity. Here eight subspecies are recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. O.h.hemionusRafinesque,1817—RockyMtsfromYukontoTexasandNewMexico. O.h.californicusCaton,1876—CCalifornia. O.h.cerrosensisMerriam,1898—NWMexico(CedrosI,BajaCalifornia). O.h.columbianusRichardson,1829—coastalregionfromPortSimpsoninBritishColumbia(WCanada)toCCalifornia(WUSA). O.h.eremicusMearns,1897—SWUSA(Arizona,NMexico). O.h.fulbiginatusCowan,1933—SWUSA(SCalifornia)andNWMexico(NBajaCalifornia). O.h.peninsulaeLydekker,1898—NWMexico(SBajaCalifornia). O. h. sitkensis Merriam, 1898 — coastal S Alaska. Descriptive notes. Head-body 150-180 cm for males (adult bucks) and 135-155 cm for females (does), tail 15-23 cm, shoulder height 85-105 cm (bucks) and 75-95 cm (does); weight 50-110 kg (adult bucks) and 35-65 kg (adult does). The heaviest animals occur in the northern Rocky Mountains, with records of 210-230 kg for exceptional bucks. Adult bucks average 50-70% heavier than does. Generally a mediumsized deer similar to the White-tailed Deer (O. virginianus), but with a relatively shorter and narrower tail that is white to black above, or tipped with black. The ears are very large, around two thirds the length of the face. Males have antlers, with a ...