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 is among the most widespread but least known of all mammals in southern Asia. It is found in Bangladesh, southern China, northeastern India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, the Riau Archipelago, Sumatra, Bangka Island, Belitung, Java, Bali, and Borneo. The Indian muntjac is found in tropical and subtropical deciduous forests, grasslands, savannas, and scrub forests, as well as in the hilly country on the slopes of the Himalayas. They are found at altitudes ranging from sea level up to . They never wander far from water. "Muntiacua muntjac" is a terrestrial mammal. A close survey of