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Concept
Roe deer
Summary
The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), also known as the roe, western roe deer, or European roe deer, is a species of deer. The male of the species is sometimes referred to as a roebuck. The roe is a small deer, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. The species is widespread in Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, from Scotland to the Caucasus, and east as far as northern Iran.
The English roe is from the Old English rā or rāha, from Proto-Germanic *raihô, cognate with Old Norse rá, Old Saxon rēho, Middle Dutch and Dutch ree, Old High German rēh, rēho, rēia, German Reh. It is perhaps ultimately derived from a PIE root *rei-, meaning "streaked, spotted or striped".
The word is attested on the 5th-century Caistor-by-Norwich astragalus - a roe deer talus bone, written in Elder Futhark as , transliterated as raïhan.
In the English language, this deer was originally simply called a 'roe', but over time the word 'roe' has become a qualifier, and it is now usually called 'roe deer'.
The Koiné Greek name πύγαργος, transliterated 'pygargos', mentioned in the Septuagint and the works of various writers such as Hesychius, Herodotus and later Pliny, was originally thought to refer to this species (in many European translations of the Bible), although it is now more often believed to refer to the addax. It is derived from the words pyge 'buttocks' and argo 'white'.
The taxonomic name Capreolus is derived from capra or caprea, meaning 'billy goat', with the diminutive suffix -olus. The meaning of this word in Latin is not entirely clear: it may have meant 'ibex' or 'chamois'. The roe was also known as capraginus or capruginus in Latin.
Linnaeus first described the roe deer in the modern taxonomic system as Cervus capreolus in 1758. The initially monotypic genus Capreolus was first proposed by John Edward Gray in 1821, although he did not provide a proper description for this taxon. Gray was not actually the first to use the name Capreolus, it has been used by other authors before him.
Official source
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