New Record of Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) from Iron Age Archeological Sites in Central Taiwan

A new record of the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis), which is absent from the modern fauna, is reported from Iron Age archeological sites in Taichung, west-central Taiwan. Measurements and descriptions of the studied materials are provided, including a selection of less-fragmented upper canines and mandibles. The evidence shown from bone remains and records from early local historic documents indicate that H. inermis was once widespread and thrived on the island, and became extinct in very recent times, probably during the early 19th century. Its remains are expected to be found in archeological sites elsewhere in Taiwan. This study represents the first record of an isolated insular population of this monotypic species, as the distribution of H. inermis was previously confined to continental China and the adjacent Korean Peninsula.