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| Thomasomys burneoi Lee, Tinoco & Brito, 2022 DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e78219 |
Abstract
We name and describe a new species of Andean mouse from the eastern slope of the Andes of central Ecuador (Sangay National Park). This rodent is large-bodied (head-body length 167–184 mm) inhabiting the wet montane forest between 3,400–3,900 m in elevation. A molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial genes resolved the new species as a member of the “aureus” group, closely related to an undescribed species from north Ecuador. This finding increases the diversity of Thomasomys to 48 species, of which 18 species inhabit Ecuador. In addition, the species described herein is the largest species of the genus described in Ecuador.
Key words: Montane forest, Rodentia, Thomasomyini
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| Dry skin in dorsal, ventral, and lateral views of Thomasomys burneoi, sp. nov. (MECN 5662, holotype). Scale bar = 10 cm. Morphology of the dorsal and plantar surface of the right hind foot of: A, C Thomasomys burneoi (MECN 5666, paratype) and Thomasomys pardignasi (MECN 5852, holotype) and B, D Acronyms: I–V = digits, 1–4 = pads, h = hypothenar pad, t = thenar pad. Scales = 10 mm. |
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| Thomasomys burneoi sp. nov. (MECN 5259, paratype), external appearance of an adult female alive in its natural habitat in the Cubillines, Sangay National Park, Ecuador. |
Family Cricetidae Fischer, 1817
Subfamily Sigmodontinae Wagner, 1843
Tribe Thomasomyini Steadman & Ray, 1982
Genus Thomasomys Coues, 1884
Thomasomys burneoi sp. nov.
Burneo’s Olfield Mouse
Ratón andino de Burneo (in Spanish)
Thomasomys praetor: Lee et al. 2011:9; part no Thomasomys praetor (Thomas, 1900)
Thomasomys princeps: Lee et al. 2015:10; part no Thomasomys princeps (Thomas, 1895)
Thomasomys aureus: Brito et al. 2019:9; par not Thomasomys aureus Tomes, 1860
Diagnosis: A species of Thomasomys from the aureus group described by the following character combinations: large size (combined head and body length 167–184 mm); postauricular patch present; wide metatarsal patch; hind foot large > 40 mm; M1 with broad and deep anteroflexus; additional anterior edge on procingulum of M1 present; M3 with metaflexus large and mesoloph distinctive; m1 with small and distinctive anterolophid; m1 with ectolophid; m2–m3 with hypoflexid wide; m3 size equals m2.
Thomas E. Lee Jr., Nicolás Tinoco and Jorge Brito. 2022. A New Species of Andean Mouse of the Genus Thomasomys (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) from the eastern Andes of Ecuador. Vertebrate Zoology. 72: 219-233. DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e78219
