Large Japanese Field Mouse

discussion

Discussion: Apodemus group. Usually included in subgenus Alsomys (e. g., Pavlinov et al., 1995 a) but placed in subgenus Apodemus by Pavlinov and Rossolimo (1987) and Mezhzherin and Zykov (1991); considered a member of an Apodemus Group by Musser et al. (1996), which is consistent with analyses of allozymic data and mtDNA cytochrome b and nuclear DNA sequences (Chelomina, 1998; Chelomina et al., 1998 b; Liu et al., 2004; Mezhzherin, 1997 a; Serizawa et al., 2000; Suzuki et al., 2003). Phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA cytochrome b and nuclear IRBP sequences identified A. speciosus as an independent lineage within a radiation that includes the separate lineage of A. peninsulae, the A. agrarius-A. chevrieri clade, and A. draco-A. semotus-A. latronum cluster; this radiation is separate from those two producing the Nepalese A. gurkha and Japanese A. argenteus (Suzuki et al., 2003; also see Liu et al., 2004). Sympatric with A. peninsulae on Hokkaido. Geographic variation extensively analyzed by Imaizumi (1962). Some of the synonyms (ainu, navigator, and miyakensis) have been listed as separate species (Vorontsov et al., 1977 a; also see discussion in Corbet, 1978 c), but we follow Corbet (

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

Distribution: Endemic to Japan (Dobson, 1994); found on the four larger islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu) and some smaller islands, but south only to Yakushima (Corbet, 1978 c; Abe and Ishii, 1987; Kaneko, 1994; Tsuchiya, 1974).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

COMMENTS: Subgenus Alsomys. Sympatric with A. peninsulae on Hokkaido. The citation is usually cited as 1845, but was published in 1844; see Holthuis and Sakai (1970). Some of the names (ainu, navigator, and miyakensis) have been listed as species (Vorontsov et al., 1977 «; also discussion in Corbet, 1978 c), but we follow Corbet (1978 c) in recognizing only one species. This action was also reflected by Tsuchiya (1974), as he divided the names into two groups of A. speciosus based on biochemical and chromosomal evidence. Saitoh et al. (1989) provided additional biochemical information in context of systematic comparisons among Japanese Apodemus. Placed in subgenus Apodemus by Pavlinov and Rossolimo (1987) and Mezhzherin and Zykov (1991).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Endemic to four primary islands and smaller islands of Japan (see map in Tsuchiya, 1974).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae