A new genus and species of rodent from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae: Oryzomyini), with comments on oryzomyine biogeography |
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Authors: | ALEXANDRE R PERCEQUILLO MARCELO WEKSLER LEONORA P COSTA |
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Institution: | 1. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Avenue Pádua Dias, 11, Caixa Postal 9, Piracicaba, S?o Paulo, 13418‐900, Brazil;2. Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY, 10024‐5192, USA;3. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Centro de Ciências Humanas e Naturais, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Avenue Marechal Campos, 1468, Campus de Maruípe, Vitória, Espírito Santo, 29040‐090, Brazil |
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Abstract: | We describe in this paper a new genus and species of cricetid rodent from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, one of the most endangered eco‐regions of the world. The new form displays some but not all synapomorphies of the tribe Oryzomyini, but a suite of unique characteristics is also observed. This new forest rat possesses anatomical characteristics of arboreal taxa, such as very developed plantar pads, but was collected almost exclusively in pitfall traps. Phylogenetic analyses of morphological (integument, soft tissue, cranial, and dental characters) and molecular nuclear – Interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (Irbp) – and mitochondrial – cytochrome b– genes] datasets using maximum likelihood and cladistic parsimony approaches corroborate the inclusion of the new taxon within oryzomyines. The analyses also place the new form as sister species to Eremoryzomys polius, an Andean rat endemic to the Maranon valley. This biogeographical pattern is unusual amongst small terrestrial vertebrates, as a review of the literature points to few other similar examples of Andean–Atlantic Forest pairings, in hylid frogs, Pionus parrots, and other sigmodontine rodents. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 161 , 357–390. |
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Keywords: | Brazil cytochrome b Irbp morphology phylogeny South America systematic total evidence |
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