Water Deer

The water deer (Hydropotes inermis) is a small deer species native to Korea and China. It has prominent tusks, similar to those of musk deer. It was first described to the Western world by Robert Swinhoe in 1870. == Taxonomy == The two subspecies are the Chinese water deer (H. i. inermis) and the Korean water deer (H. i. argyropus). The water deer is superficially more similar to a musk deer than a true deer; despite anatomical peculiarities, including a pair of prominent tusks (downward-pointing canine teeth) and its lack of antlers, it is classified as a cervid, yet its unique anatomical characteristics have caused it to be classified in its own genus (Hydropotes), as well as historically its own subfamily (Hydropotinae). However, studies of mitochondrial control region and cytochrome b DNA sequences placed it near Capreolus within an Old World section of the subfamily Capreolinae, and all later molecular analyses show that Hydropotes is a sister taxon of Capreolus. == Etymology == The genus name Hydropotes corresponds to the ancient Greek word ὑδροπότης, meaning "water-drinker", and presumably refers to the preference of this cervid for rivers and swamps. The etymology of the species name corresponds to the Latin word…