Indian Muntjac, <i>Muntiacus muntjak</i> : A Deer with a Low Diploid Chromosome Number

Abstract

The Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak) has a diploid chromosome number of 7 in the male and 6 in the female, the lowest number yet described in a mammal. Its near relative, Reeve's muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) has a diploid number of 46, and the karyotypes of the two, species are very different.