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| Typhlomys fengjiensis Pu, Chen & Liu, in Pu, Wan, Fan, Fu, ... et Liu, 2022. |
A new species of the genus Typhlomys Milne-Edwards, 1877 (Rodentia: Platacanthomyidae) is described based on 10 specimens collected from Chongqing in southwestern China using integrated taxonomy. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these specimens formed a distinct sister clade to T. daloushanensis Wang and Li, 1996, and differed from all six known Typhlomys species based on Kimura-2-parameter genetic distances of the cytochrome b (cyt b) gene (ranging from 0.122 to 0.215). The new species Typhlomys fengjiensis sp. nov. is most similar to T. daloushanensis in morphology. However, it differs from the latter by the following morphological characters: (1) larger body and skull; (2) deeper incurved zygomatic arch; and (3) mesofossette on first upper molar open on both buccal and lingual sides (vs. inner edge of endoloph closed in T. daloushanensis). The discovery of this new species supports that Typhlomys diversity remains underestimated in southern China.
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| Sample localities, principal component (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA), phylogenetic tree, divergence times, and species delimitation of Typhlomys, with skull and molar comparisons of Typhlomys sp. 1 and T. daloushanensis, and dorsal, ventral, and lateral views of Typhlomys sp. 1 |
Typhlomys fengjiensis sp. nov. Pu, Chen, and Liu
Diagnosis: The new species is most similar to T. daloushanensis but can be distinguished based on its large body size and skull within the genus. It differs from T. chapensis and T. nanus by more flattened braincase; from all known Typhlomys species, except for T. cinereus, by zygomatic arch with distinct deeper incurve; from T. cinereus by mesofossette on M1 open on both buccal and lingual sides rather than open on buccal side only; and from T. nanus by posterofossettid on M1 present. The new species further differs from other species, except T. daloushanensis, by anterofossette on M2 present.
Etymology: The specific Latin name of the new species refers to its type locality in Fengjie County, Chongqing, China. The sampling location is adjacent to the famous and historic Baidi (White Emperor) City, therefore, we suggest “Baidi Blind Mouse” as the English common name and “白帝猪尾鼠” as the Chinese common name.
Distribution and ecology: The new species is currently known only from the type locality, but may also occur in the adjacent mountainous areas in southwestern Hubei of the southern Yangtze River. Moreover, it may also be distributed in northern Chongqing and northwestern Hubei around the Mt. Bashan region if it can disperse across the Yangtze River, such as T. daloushanensis. The study specimens were captured in mountainous forests with bamboo underbrush adjacent to roads at mid-altitudes (1 579–1 883 m a.s.l.). Sympatric species include Blarinella cf. quadraticauda, Chodsigoa smithii, Anourosorex squamipes, Crocidura vorax, Uropsilus gracilis, Apodemus draco, Niviventer lotipes, and Eothenomys eleusis.
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Ying-Ting Pu, Tao Wan, Rong-Hui Fan, Chang-Kun Fu, Ke-Yi Tang, Xue-Long Jiang, Bao-Wei Zhang, Ting-Li Hu, Shun-De Chen and Shao-Ying Liu. 2022. A New Species of the Genus Typhlomys Milne-Edwards, 1877 (Rodentia: Platacanthomyidae) from Chongqing, China. Zoological Research. 43(3); 413-417. DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.338
