Taiwan Field Mouse

discussion

Discussion: Apodemus group. Usually included in subgenus Alsomys (Pavlinov et al, 1995 a); placed in an Apodemus Group by Musser et al. (1996) based on morphology, which is consistent with analyses of allozymic data and mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences (Filippucci et al., 2002; Liu et al., 2004; Michaux et al., 2002 a; Serizawa et al., 2000; Suzuki et al., 2003); however, Chelomina et al. (1998 b) grouped A. semotus with A. argenteus using mtDNA cytochrome b sequences. Originally described as a species, but subsequently treated as a subspecies of A. sylvaticus (Ellerman, 1949; Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1951), then either regarded as a species closely related in morphology to mainland A. draco (Corbet, 1978 c) or questionably included in that species (Corbet and Hill, 1992), and finally recognized as a separate specific entity (Musser and Carleton, 1993; Liu et al., 2002; Musser et al., 1996; Wang, 2003; molecular reports cited above). Included in studies on ecology, altitudinal distributions, and patterns of diversification and genetic population structure of small Taiwanese mammals (Adler, 1996; H. - T. Yu, 1993, 1994, 1995). Relationship of montane A. semotus to lowland

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

Distribution: Endemic to montane habitats on Taiwan (H. - T. Yu, 1994).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

COMMENTS: Subgenus Alsomys. Closely related in morphology to mainland A. draco (Corbet, 1978 c).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

biology_ecology

Habitat. Found in various types of natural and degraded environments, including grasslands, broadleaf and coniferous forests, bamboo, and subalpine shrubs, natural or planted forests, farms, and houses, from 1400 m to 3700 m.

Muridae