Morphological Features of the East Siberian Moose (Alces americanus pfizenmayeri, Cervidae) in Yakutia

The morphological features of the East Siberian moose were studied in central and southern Yakutia, Siberia from 2005 to 2024. The body size was measured in 15 adult moose. Hair coloration was described in 46, and horn shape, in 78 individuals. According to the morphometric characters, the East Siberian moose (Alces americanus pfizenmayeri) of Yakutia occupies a position intermediate between A. a. buturlini and A. a. cameloides and has morphological features characteristic of a subspecies. Four color variations have been identified in the body coloration. The most common coloration is light brown (43.4%). In head coloration, five color shades are detected; only brown coloration is common in both sexes. There are some sex differences in head coloration, females being colored in lighter tones, compared to males in darker tones. In males, four types of horn shape are identified: shovel-shaped antlers with a divided shovel, shovel-shaped with a narrow shovel and long ramifications, shovel-shaped with an undivided shovel, and stag-shaped antlers. Specimens with shovel-shaped antlers with a divided shovel are the most frequent (82.0%). A. a. buturlini has been recorded from central Yakutia.