Intraspecific Phylogeny of the Korean Water Deer, Hydropotes inermis argyropus (Artiodactyla, Cervidae)

Abstract

The water deer, Hydropotes inermis (Cervidae), is native to China and Korea and has two subspecies of the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis inermis) and Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). To date, only the Korean water deer has been reported in South Korea. In this study, however, an intraspecific phylogeny and haplotype analysis based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I indicated that both Korean and Chinese water deer are found in South Korea. The populations of the two Korean genetic lineages did not show distinct geographic distributions. Further morphological studies on the Korean water deer will be required to confirm its taxonomic status.