A New Species of Wood Rat (Neotoma) from Northeastern Mexico

A New Species of Wood Rat (Neotoma) from Northeastern Mexico

The White-throated woodrat, Neotoma albigula, has been known previously from the Mexican state of Tamaulipas by only eight individuals reported by Goldman (N. Amer. Fauna, 31:37, October 19, 1910), which were assigned to Neotoma albigula leucodon (type locality, city of San Luis Potos, Mxico). Additional specimens from southwestern Tamaulipas, obtained in recent years by representatives of the Museum of Natural History, along with specimens from parts of Nuevo Len and Coahuila, represent an unnamed subspecies, which is named and described as follows: Diagnosis.Over-all size small for species (see measurements), but tail, maxillary tooth-row and incisive foramina relatively long; upper parts dark (individual hairs banded subterminally with cinnamon and tipped with grayish, yielding an over-all color of grayish brown); lips gray, especially anteriorly and medially; alveoli of incisors narrow (4.8-5.2); posterior branch of premaxilla extending only slightly behind nasals; rostrum short; braincase broad; mastoid breadth averaging 51.1 (47.8-52.7) per cent of basilar length. Comparisons.Neotoma albigula subsolana, differs from topotypes of N. a. leucodon, the subspecies geographically adjacent to the southwest, as follows: size smaller, especially length of palatal bridge (6.9-8.1 instead of 8.2-9.6), alveolar length of maxillary tooth-row (8.3-8.9 instead of 8.8-9.7), and greatest length of auditory bulla (7.3-7.9 instead of 8.2-8.9); mastoid breadth relatively greater, 51.1 (47.8-52.7) instead of 47.0 (45.5-49.1) per cent of basilar length; posterior process of premaxilla extending only slightly beyond posterior border of nasals; auditory bulla conspicuously smaller; upper parts darker, especially middorsally; over-all color grayish instead of ochraceous or yellowish; lips gray instead of nearly white. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 38441
Author: Alvarez, Ticul
Release Date: Dec 30, 2011
Format: eBook
Language: English