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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or mouse deer

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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