Indian muntjac species to actually have antlers. Ancestor to muntjacs is the "Dicrocerus elegans" which is the oldest known deer to shed antlers. Other fossils found that deer species experienced a split of the Cervinae from the Muntiacinae, the latter of which remained of similar morphology. Muntjacs of this time during the Miocene were smaller than their modern counterparts. Molecular data has suggested that Indian and Fea’s muntjac share a common ancestor while giant muntjac are more closely related to Reeve’s muntjac. Although the muntjac deer has a long lineage, little has been studied in terms of their fossil record. The female
Indian muntjac the microhabitat of Indian Muntjac in Hainan Island was conducted from 2001 to 2002 by tracking via radio collar the localities of three females and two males. Results showed a favoritism towards shrub grassland, thorny shrub land, and dry savanna over woods, cultivated grass plot and deciduous monsoon forests. Food availability was higher at foraging sites than at bed sites but bed sites had taller and denser vegetation. There was not a significant difference in wet vs dry was found in food abundance so habitat selection seemed to be based upon maximum tree high and canopy diameters. "Ornithodoros indica" has