Losea Rat

discussion

Discussion: Rattus rattus species group. Known morphological, geographical, and altitudinal boundaries; correctly and incorrectly associated scientific names; and geographic variation reviewed by Musser and Newcomb (1985). They also suggested that R. losea is morphologically and probably phylogenetically closest to R. osgoodi from the highlands of S Vietnam and phylogenetically linked to R. argentiventer; see also Corbet and Hill (1992: 341). Chromosomal contrasts between R. losea and three other species of Rattus from S Vietnam documented by Baskevich and Kuznetsov (1998). Karyotype from Taiwanese sample described by H. - T. Yu et al. (1996), who noted that the chromosomal complement is the same as that recorded for Thai samples except for differences in the X chromosome. Additional chromosomal data summarized by Rickart and Musser (1993). Adler (1995) documented habitat use on Taiwan.

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

Distribution: Taiwan (M. - J. Yu, 1996), Pescadores Isls, S China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Chongqing, E Sichuan, S Shaanxi, Hainan Isl, Hong Kong; Wang, 2003), Vietnam (Dang et al., 1994), C and S Laos (Smith et al., In Press), Thailand (excluding peninsular Thailand; J. T. Marshall, Jr., 1977 a; Robinson et al., 1995), and S and SW Cambodia (specimens in FMNH and MNHN; A. Smith in litt., 2000); details of range reported by Musser and Newcomb (1985) and also based upon our study of other specimens not recorded in that report.

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

COMMENTS: Known morphological, geographical, and altitudinal boundaries; correctly and incorrectly assoicated scientific names; and geographic variation reviewed by Musser and Newcomb (1985). They also suggested that R. losea is morphologically and probably phylogenetically nearer R. osgoodi from the highlands of S Vietnam than any other species of Rattus, and speculated that R. losea is also phylogenetically linked to R. argentiventer.

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Recorded from Taiwan, Pescadores Isis, S China (Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hainan Isl), C Vietnam, S Laos, and Thailand (excluding peninsular Thailand); probably will also be found in Cambodia, N Laos and Vietnam, and parts of Burma borderingThailand (Musser and Newcomb, 1985).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae