How does the antler branching in the genus *Odocoileus* typically differ from generalizations for other deer genera?
Answer
White-tail antlers branch upward from a main beam, unlike the dichotomous branching of mule deer antlers.
Members of the genus *Odocoileus*, which includes the white-tailed deer and the mule deer (*O. hemionus*), share a very recent common ancestry. A key morphological difference noted between these species relates to their antlers. While mule deer antlers are characterized by dichotomous branching, meaning they fork repeatedly, the antlers of the white-tailed deer typically exhibit growth that branches upward originating from a main, singular beam structure.
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