Galapagous mammal systematics

[Ken Kinman]

     Megaoryzomys is apparently closer to the Oryzomyines than to
Thomasomyines.  I would suggest writing to Scott Steppan, who has studied
the phylogenetics of both living and extinct members of these and other
tribes of Subfamily Sigmodontinae, at: steppan at bio.fsu.edu
                     ---------Ken Kinman

>From: John Grehan <jrg13 at PSU.EDU>
>Reply-To: John Grehan <jrg13 at PSU.EDU>
>To: TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG
>Subject: Galapagous mammal systematics
>Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 03:05:12 -0400
>
>If anyone on this list might be working in the appropriate area I would be
>interested to hear if there have been any developments in the determination
>of the phylogenetic relationships of the extinct Galapagos rodent
>Megaoryzomys curioi.
>
>According to the paper by Steadman and Clayton 1982, this taxon is related
>to the Andean genus Thomasomys (actually to species within the genus which
>would render Thomasomys paraphyletic I think). I understand, however, that
>the
>  characters used for assessing this relationship such as dentition and
>palate length are
>primitive, so uninformative - rendering the current status of the Galapagos
>relationships totally adrift. However, if anyone knows of any developments
>that
>shed light on the situation and provides a well founded assessment of
>relationship
>I would be most interested to know.
>
>John Grehan
>

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