Our work shows it is actually closely related to the white-tailed/mule deer sister species, and likely represents a distinct species or population of the Odocoileus genus.

doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...

Our mystery deer paper is finally out! We used ancient DNA to clarify the systematics of Torontoceros hypogaeus, an 11k years old fossil discovered during excavation work for the Toronto subway in 1976. Due to its unique antler morphology, it was described as an extinct deer species, but ...