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 usually branch just once near the base, and a large postorbital scent gland used to mark territories. The species was formerly classified as "". The Indian muntjac has a short but very soft, thick, dense coat that is more dense in cooler regions. The face of the muntjac is darker and the limbs are dark to reddish brown and the coat color seasonally varies from darker brown to yellowish and grayish brown and is white ventally. Their ears have much less hair but otherwise are the same color as the rest of the head. Male muntjacs have short antlers, about