Identification of dorsal guard hairs surface structure of Indian Chevrotain moschiola Indica gray, 1852 (Tragulidae: artiodactyla: mammalia)

ABSTRACT Tricho-taxonomy is the study of hairs. Tricho-taxonomic studies have been carried out by many workers on different orders of class Mammalia. But meagre information is available on tricho-taxonomic studies of species under Artiodactyla of India. The physical characters, surface structure and medulla of guard hair of Moschiola indica were examined to have basic surface architecture for taxonomic identification. This study may help the different enforcement agencies engaged for implementation of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. References Bahuguna A. 2008. Identification of Indian species of Callosciurus Gray through dorsal guard hair (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae). Biosystematica, 1 (2): 25-32. Baral HS, Shah KB, and Duckwoth JW. 2009. A clarification of the status of Indian Chevrotain Moschiola indica in Nepal. Vertebrate Zoology, 59 (2): 197-200. Brunner H, and Coman BJ. 1974.The identification of mammalian hair. Inkata Press, Melbourne, 1-176 pp. Chakraborty R, and De JK. 1995. Structure and pattern of cuticular scales on mid dorsal guard hairs of marbled cat, Felis marmorata charltoni Gray (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae). Rec. zool. Surv. India, 95(1-2): 65-70. Chakraborty R, and De JK. 2001.Identification of dorsal guard hairs of five species of the family Canidae (Mammalia: Carnivora). Mammalia, 65: 483-493. Chakraborty R, and De JK. 2002. Structure of mid dorsal guard hairs of hunting leopard Acinonyx jubatus venaticus Griffith and Lesser panda, Ailurus fulgens F. Cuvier (Mammalia: Carnivora). Rec. zool. Surv. India, 100(1-2): 131-136. Chakraborty R, and De JK. 2005. Identification of dorsal guard hairs of nine Indian species of the family Viverridae (Mammalia: Carnivora). Rec. zool. Surv. India, 104(3-4): 13-21. Chakraborty R, and De JK. 2010.Atlas on hairs Indian Mammals. Part- I: Carnivora. Publ. Zoological Survey of India, 1-141. Chakraborty R, De JK, and Chakraborty S.1996. Identification of dorsal guard hairs of Indian species of the genus Panthera oken (Carnivora: Felidae). Mammalia, 60: 473-480. De JK. 1993. Study of Surface structure of hair of some Primates of Indian Sub- continent. Rec. zool. Surv. India, 93(1-2): 31-34