Odocoileus  

Odocoileus is a genus of medium-sized deer (family Cervidae) containing two species native to the Americas.^[1] The name is sometimes spelled odocoeleus; it is from a contraction of the roots odonto- and coelus meaning "hollow-tooth".

Species[edit]

• Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is indigenous to the western half of North America. [A subspecies, Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus), is found near the west coast].

• White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America, and northern portions of South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia.^[2]

Hybridisation[edit]

On the event of hybridisation between the Mule deer and the Whitetail the offspring is subject to ecological post-zygotic reproductive isolation, in which its predator escape technique becomes confused: a mix of the Mule deer's stotting strategy and the Whitetail's sprint strategy cause the hybrid to perform a chaotic mixture of both, making it an easy prey-target for the Coyote.^{[citation needed]}

References[edit]

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