Hyelaphus is a genus of relatively small
South and
Southeast Asia deer that are overall brown. The three species are all
threatened, and two of the species are restricted to a few small islands. Originally considered a subgenus of
Axis,
genetic evidence indicates that
Hyelaphus is closer to the genus
Rusa than
Axis. Consequently,
Hyelaphus was elevated to genus status, leaving the
chital as the only member of
Axis.