There are 3 subspecies of red deer in Xinjiang. The data of skull morphology on Cervus elaphus yarkandensis, Cervus elaphus songaricus, Cervus elaphus sibiricus were reported in this paper, which involved the measurement and comparison of skull variables of the 3 subspecies. Measured variables include the greatest length of the cranium, facial length, greatest length of the nasals, median frontal length, greatest inner width of infraorbital gland fossa, condylobasal length: aboral border of the occipital condyles-Prosthion, Graetest palatal breadth, premolare-prosthion length, zygomatic breadth, aboral height of the coronoid process-gonion ventrale-Coronion, aboral height of the vertical ramus: gonion ventrale-highest point of the condyle process, diastema height, Height of the mandible in front of P2, height of mandible behind M3. All variables measured were compared respectively between the 3 subspecies. The results showed that: 1) The deer from the Altai tended to have greater length and height of skull and smaller width than that from the Tarim. 2) Skulls of the Tianshan were intermediate between Tarim and Altai, but there tended to be no significant difference. 3) The skull morphological measurements of the Ahai and Tianshan subspecies were close to each other, and the Tarim sample was located rather distant from the former two. The variations of the skull morphological characters of red deer in Xinjiang are caused mainly by habitat and climatic differences of these subspecies. Altai and Tianshan subspecies inhabit in the coniferous forests with a cold climate, whereas that of the Tarim inhabit the riparian poplar forests along the river in desert region, which become very hot in summer. The morphological similarities between red deer from the Altai and Tianshan may reflect similarities in habitats, while the unique morphological characteristics of the Tarim red deer may reflect adaptations to a desert climate. Therefore, the Tarim subspecies is unique and should be protected.%新疆马鹿(Cervus elaphus)有3个亚种(塔里木亚种C.e.yarkandensis、天山亚种C.e.songaricus和阿勒泰亚种C.e.sibiricus).本文报道新疆马鹿3个亚种头骨形态学特征描述和14项形态学指标测定.被测定的指标主要有颅全长(GLC)、颜面长(FL)、鼻骨全长(GLN)、前头长(MFL)、眼窝长(OFW)、基底全长(CBL)、口盖最大幅(GPB)、前臼齿间距离(Pm-P)、眼间最小幅(ZB)、筋突起高(CH)、关筋突起高(LH)、牙齿间隙裂高(DH)、前下颚骨高(HMP2)、后下颚骨高(HMM3),采用主成分分析并在这3个亚种之间进行了比较.结果表明:1)阿勒泰亚种的头骨长度和高度值比塔里木亚种大,宽度值比塔里木亚种小;2)天山亚种的头骨大小一般处在塔里木亚种和阿勒泰亚种的中间,但三者之间没有显著性差异;3)阿勒泰亚种和天山亚种的头骨形态测量数据比较接近,塔里木亚种的头骨形态比较特殊(塔里木亚种的头骨短而宽,明显区别于其他两亚种的特征).在新疆导致马鹿3个亚种头骨形态差异的主要因素有栖息地环境和气候因素的差异.阿勒泰亚种和天山亚种栖息在大陆性气候寒冷区的针叶林中,冬天气候比较寒冷;塔里木亚种栖息在大陆性气候温热区的塔里木河流域胡杨林中,气候干旱炎热.因此,阿勒泰和天山亚种在适应寒冷的气候并适应生软食物的食性过程中头骨变成长细,而塔里木亚种长期适应干旱炎热并适应生硬食物的食性使头骨变的短而宽.
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