Did you know that despite having "deer" in its name, the serow is not actually a member of the deer family? This is one of the interesting misconceptions in biological taxonomy. The serow actually belongs to the Bovidae family, which includes animals like cows and goats.
When comparing their appearances, deer have large, branched antlers that are shed and regrown every year, while the serow has short, curved horns that do not branch. In terms of body shape, deer are elegant and slender, whereas the serow has a more muscular build, resembling a goat. With a height of about 81 cm and a weight of 30 to 45 kg, these characteristics provide clues for classification.
Although the name "serow" contains "deer" and its appearance is somewhat similar to that of a deer, it is still classified as a member of the Bovidae family. DNA analysis has shown that the serow is more closely related to goats and sheep than to deer. The confusion in appearance can be attributed to partial convergence that occurred as they adapted to similar mountainous environments, but the structural differences in their horns and other definitive traits are significant.
In conclusion, the true identity of the serow is that of a distant relative of the robust goat, hidden away in the mountains.