鹿亚科真鹿亚科Cervinae多为大型鹿类。雄性有分叉的角;雌性无角;幼鹿身上多有花斑,有些种类花斑在成年后消失,有些种类则终生保留。有4属。花鹿属Axis花鹿(斑鹿)Axis axis加岛花鹿Axis calamianensis巴岛花鹿Axis kuhlii豚鹿Axis porcinus鹿属Cervus马鹿(赤鹿、白臀鹿)Cervus elaphus白唇鹿Cervus albirostris坡鹿(泽鹿)Cervus eldii阿氏鹿(菲律宾梅花鹿)Cervus alfredi菲律宾黑麂Cervus mariannus宿氏鹿Cervus schomburgki鬣鹿(爪哇鹿)Cervus timorensis沼鹿Cervus duvaucelii梅花鹿Cervus nippon水鹿Cervus unicolor黇鹿属Dama波斯黇鹿(美索布达米亚鹿)Dama mesopotamica黇鹿Dama dama麋鹿属Elaphurus麋鹿Elaphurus davidianus麂亚科Muntiacinae体型较小,具短小的角,上犬齿发达。有2属毛冠鹿属Elaphodus毛冠鹿Elaphodus cephalophus麂属Muntiacus黑麂Muntiacus crinifrons菲氏麂Muntiacus feae贡山麂Muntiacus gongshanensis赤麂Muntiacus muntjak小麂Muntiacus reevesi瘤麂(婆罗洲黄麂)Muntiacus atherodes越南大麂Muntiacus vuquangensis獐亚科Cervinae体型较小,无角,上犬齿发达。仅1属。有时置于空齿鹿亚科。獐属Hydropotes獐(河麂)Hydropotes inermis空齿鹿亚科美洲鹿亚科Odocoileinae形态差异较大,分布广泛。有9属,分为4个族。驼鹿属Alces驼鹿Alces alces北美驼鹿Alces americanus驯鹿属Rangifer驯鹿Rangifer tarandus狍属Capreolus狍(西方狍)Capreolus capreolus西伯利亚狍(东方狍)Capreolus pygargus空齿鹿属Odocoileus白尾鹿(维基尼亚鹿)Odocoileus virginianus黑尾鹿Odocoileus hemionu