Until 2004, it was generally treated as a subspecies of the greater mouse-deer (T. napu), though it more closely resembles the lesser mouse-deer (T. kanchil).
2004년까지는 일반적으로 큰쥐사슴(T. napu)의 아종으로 간주했지만, 겉모습은 작은쥐사슴(T. kanchil)과 더 닮았다.