chevrotain

chevrotain
/shev"reuh tayn', -tin/, n.
any very small, deerlike ruminant of the family Tragulidae, of Africa, tropical Asia, the Malay Peninsula, etc. Also called mouse deer.
[ < F, appar. Buffon's alter. of chevrotin roe deer under the age of six months, equiv. to MF chevrot kid (chevre goat (see CHEVON) + -ot dim. suffix) + -in -INE1]

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Any of several species (family Tragulidae) of small, delicately built ruminants of Asia and Africa.

Resembling tiny deer, chevrotains stand about 12 in. (30 cm) at the shoulder and seem to walk on their hooftips. Their fur is reddish brown with spots and pale stripes. Males have small, curved tusks protruding downward from the upper jaw. Shy and solitary, they are active at night. Asiatic chevrotains are found in forests from India to the Philippines. The water chevrotain of western equatorial Africa inhabits thick cover on the banks of rivers and seeks escape in the water when disturbed.

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mammal
also called  Mouse Deer,  
 any of several species of small, delicately built hoofed mammals comprising the family Tragulidae (order Artiodactyla). Found in the warmer parts of Asia and in parts of Africa, chevrotains are shy, solitary, evening- and night-active vegetarians. They stand about 30 centimetres (12 inches) at the shoulder and characteristically seem to walk on the hoof tips of their slender legs. The fur is reddish brown with spots and stripes of paler colour or white; the underside is pale. The males have small, curved tusks protruding downward out of the mouth from the upper jaw.

      The Asiatic chevrotains are placed in the genus Tragulus, which includes about three species found in forests from India to the Philippines. The water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus), larger than the Asiatic forms, is found in western equatorial Africa. It inhabits thick cover on the banks of rivers and, when disturbed, seeks escape in the water.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • chevrotain — [ ʃəvrɔtɛ̃ ] n. m. • fin XVIIIe ; de chevrot, var. de chevreau ♦ Zool. Petit ruminant sans cornes (tragulidés) des forêts tropicales d Asie et d Afrique. Chevrotain de Malaisie. ⊗ HOM. Chevrotin. ● chevrotain nom masculin (de chevrotin) Petit… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Chevrotain — Chev ro*tain , n. [F. chevrotin, OF. chevrot little goat, roe, dim. of chevre goat. See {Chevron}.] (Zo[ o]l.) A small ruminant of the family {Tragulid[ae]} a allied to the musk deer. It inhabits Africa and the East Indies. See {Kanchil}. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chevrotain — [shev′rə tān΄, shev′rətin] n. [Fr chevrotin, orig., fawn during first half year < OFr chevrot, dim. of chèvre, she goat < L capra, fem. of caper, goat: see CAPRIOLE] any of a family (Tragulidae) of very small, hornless ruminants of S Asia… …   English World dictionary

  • Chevrotain — kancil redirects here. For car, see Perodua Kancil. Not to be confused with deer mouse or Chevrotaine. Chevrotains Temporal range: Early Miocene–Recent …   Wikipedia

  • Chevrotain — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Chevrotain, ou chevrotin, désigne en zoologie certains petits mammifères ruminants : Chevrotain désigne certaines espèces de la famille des… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • chevrotain — /ˈʃɛvrəteɪn/ (say shevruhtayn), / tən/ (say tuhn) noun (plural chevrotains, chevrotain) any of the very small deer of the family Tragulidae, of Asia and Africa, having long, slender limbs and hairless muzzles; mouse deer. {French, diminutive of… …  

  • Chevrotain Indien — Chevrotain indien …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Chevrotain Aquatique — Chevrotain aquatique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • chevrotain africain — afrikinis elniukas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Hyemoschus aquaticus angl. African water chevrotain; water chevrotain vok. afrikanisches Hirschferkel; Hirschferkel; Wassermoschustier;… …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

  • chevrotain aquatique — afrikinis elniukas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Hyemoschus aquaticus angl. African water chevrotain; water chevrotain vok. afrikanisches Hirschferkel; Hirschferkel; Wassermoschustier;… …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

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