Soft-furred Taiwan Niviventer

discussion

Discussion: Historically listed as a species (Ellerman, 1941), a subspecies of N. niviventer (Ellerman, 1961; Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1951; Wang and Zheng, 1981), or included in N. confucianus (Musser, 1981 b; Corbet and Hill, 1992). Niviventer culturatus is a distinctive insular form that in morphology superficially resembles mainland N. confucianus, but differs sufficiently that it should be treated as a species, as revealed by multivariate analysis of morphometric traits by Musser and Lunde (ms), which also clusters N. culturatus with the Javan N. lepturus, Chinese N. andersoni and N. excelsior, and Burmese N. brahma, but not with N. confucianus. Analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences also highlights the specific integrity of N. culturatus but places it with N. confucianus, N. coninga, and N. tenaster in a monophyletic clade (J. L. Patton, in litt., 2000; N. langbianis and N. fulvescens were the only other Niviventer sampled). Chromosomal data documented by H. - T. Yu et al. (1996) and compared with karyotype of N. coninga (see account of that species). Ecology, distribution and abundance along an elevational gradient, and genetic population structure documented b

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

Distribution: Endemic to highlands of Taiwan, 2000 - 3000 m (H. - T. Yu, 1994; M. - J. Yu, 1996).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

COMMENTS: Either listed as a species (Ellerman, 1941), a subspecies of N. niviventer (Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1951; Wang and Zheng, 1981), or included in N. confucianus (Musser, 1981 b). It is a distinctive insular form that in morphology resembles mainland N. confucianus, but differs sufficiently that it should be treated as a species until relationships can be assessed by systematic revision of the genus.

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

activity

Activity patterns. The Soft-furred Taiwan White-bellied Rat is mostly terrestrial and nocturnal and prefers denning in large logs.

Muridae