Arianus' New Guinea Mountain Rat

discussion

Discussion: Rattus leucopus species group. Regarded by Taylor et al. (1982) as identical to R. richardsoni after examining two paratypes of omichlodes (KNMB 4030, 4031), a synonymy followed by Musser and Carleton (1993) who had not studied the type series. Misonne (1979), however, had collected R. richardsoni at the same place but in a different habitat and his comparison with omichlodes clearly indicated the two are different species. Flannery (1995 a; 340) revived the latter after finding it in alpine scrub with samples of R. richardsoni and R. arrogans (recorded as R. niobe) in Meren Valley in the Carstensz Peak region; at lower elevations, " [Rattus] omichlodes occupies boggy alpine heath while [Rattus] niobe [= R. arrogans] occurs in mossy forest. " Flannery had also examined the holotype. Misonne (1979: 9) noted that R. arrogans (reported as R. niobe) was common in the forest and lower margins of alpine grassland, that R. richardsoni seemed to be restricted to bushes and grasses above treeline, and R. omichlodes to be still more restricted and found only " in shallow marshes with high grass and small bushes, above treeline. " Our recent examination of paratypes of omichlodes

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

Distribution: Recorded only from western region of Snow Mtns at Ertsberg (3400 m) and Carstensz Peak area, 2950 - 3950 m (Flannery, 1995 a: 340).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

materials_examined

Type Locality: New Guinea, Prov. of Papua (= Irian Jaya), W Snow Mtns (Pegunungan Maoke), Ertsberg (04 E 04 ' S, 137 E 07 ' E), 3400 m.

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

COMMENT: Misonne, 1979, Bull. Inst. R. Sei. Nat. Belg., 51: 1, considered this species to be related to richardsoni and niobe.

Order Rodentia (Part 5)