Philippine mouse-deer
Philippine mouse-deer[1] | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Tragulidae |
Genus: | Tragulus |
Species: | T. nigricans
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Binomial name | |
Tragulus nigricans Thomas, 1892
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Synonyms | |
Tragulus napu nigricans |
The Philippine mouse-deer (Tragulus nigricans), also known as the Balabac chevrotain or pilandok (in
Morphology
It has a black and brown coat with white stripes on the throat and chest. Each individual hair has sections of different colors - the base is generally light (ranging from white to ashy brown), with a tawny, orange, or brown midsection, and a long black tip. The most striking markings of the Balabac chevrotain are on the throat, with three narrow white stripes beginning from a white patch under the chin and extending down towards the chest. In intense contrast to these white stripes (and sharply defining them), the rest of the throat is jet black; in some specimens the black coloration even overtakes and obscures the stripes. Towards the chest, these black and white markings disappear into a broad brown band which crosses the lower throat.[4] The head itself is generally darker in color than the rest of the body. Broad rufous or fulvous 'eyebrow' stripes extend from the anterior corners of the eyes to the base of ears. The bridge of the nose and forehead are dark brown, becoming increasingly infused with black towards the crown of the head. The sides of the head are more fulvous. A naked glandular patch on the underside of the jaw is bordered with white, which runs into the white patch at the top of the throat.[5] Its slender legs and arched back are covered by brown fur, with a white base. A dark line runs from each ear past the eye toward the nose. Though the Philippine mouse-deer traditionally has been considered a subspecies of the greater mouse-deer, its measurements are intermediate between those of the greater mouse-deer and the lesser mouse-deer from the nearby island of Borneo.[3] Measurements for this species have been consistent over the last eighty years of research. On average, the Balabac mouse deer measures 40–50 cm from the head to the tail base and reaches an average of 18 cm tall at shoulder height.[6]
The male of its species does not have any
Behavior and ecology
It is a solitary,
Reproduction
The Philippine mouse-deer can be classified as a r-selected species. This type of organism lives in habitats that can be described as unstable or changing. Those falling under this category normally reach sexual maturity at a young age. T. nigricans is thought to reach sexual maturity at 5 months of age. R-selected species also have small body sizes and normally have short lifespans. The mouse-deer has been estimated to live about 14 years and usually produces one offspring per litter. Two offspring can occur, but is extremely rare. The gestation time ranges from 140 to 177 days.[7]
In culture
The Philippine mouse-deer is usually portrayed as a
Conservation
The Philippine mouse-deer is threatened due to a variety of reasons, such as
In captivity
Outside the Philippines, the only Philippine mouse-deers in captivity are at six different collections in Europe.[12] With one of the most famous being Chester Zoo.
References
- OCLC 62265494.
- ^ . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ .
- ^ Rabor, D. S. 1977. Philippine Birds and Mammals: A project of the U. P. Science Education Center. Quezon City: University of Philippines Press.
- ^ Allen, J. A., and J. R. White. 1910. Mammals from Palawan Island, Philippine Islands. Bulletin of the AMNH; 28: 13-17.
- ^ "Balabac chevrotain (Tragulus nigricans) - Detailed information".
- ^ Nowak, R. M. [editor]. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World (Fifth Edition). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
- ^ "Tales of Laughter - Pilandok and the Sumusong-sa-Alongan". Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
- ^ "Pilandok Series by Virgilio S. Almario".
- ^ "Si Pilandok at Ang Manok na Nangingitlog ng Ginto".
- ^ Heaney, Lawrence R., and Neil Aldrin D. Mallari. A preliminary analysis of current gaps in the protection of threatened Philippine terrestrial mammals. Sylvatrop Tech. J. of Philip. Ecosystems and Nat. Res. 10(1 & 2): 28-39.
- ^ [1]