Systematic revision of the marsupial dasyurid genus Sminthopsis Thomas. Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 168, article 2
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Date
1981
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New York : American Museum of Natural History
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Abstract
"The history of the systematics of Sminthopsis is reviewed. A terminology is defined for the skull, dentition, foot, and other external structures. Important dental characters include the size of the canines, premolar width, width and length of molars, anterior cingula, reduction of the paracone, development of the entoconid and orientation of metacristids and hypocristids. Two subgenera, Sminthopsis and Antechinomys, and the following species in each are recognized: S. murina (including albipes, fuliginosa, and tatei); S. ooldea, new rank; S. leucopus (including ferruginifrons, mitchelli, and leucogenys); S. virginiae (including nitela, rufigenis, lumholtzi, and rona); S. macroura (including froggatti, larpinta, stalkeri, and monticola); S. hirtipes; S. granulipes; S. psammophila; S. butleri; S. douglasi; S. longicaudata; S. crassicaudata (including centralis and ferruginea); subgenus Antechinomys: S. laniger (including spenceri). Other unique populations that may prove to be species are known from the George Gill Range, Northern Territory, and Doomadgee Mission, Queensland. Most species exhibit geographic variation and this is described as subspecies of each respective species. Some variation appears to be clinal within geographically widespread species, such as Sminthopsis murina. Size, tail length, tympanic wing development, brachycephaly, palatal fenestration, interorbital width, crowding of the premolar toothrow, and development of entoconids appear to vary as a function of relative aridity, both within and between species. This variation occurs independently in several different species groups. Sminthopsis granulipes and S. ooldea represent morphological extremes within the genus, the former possessing many structurally ancestral characters and the latter exhibiting the most derived characters--those adapted to arid environments. The species of Sminthopsis are most like those of Ningaui but also show similarity to species of Neophascogale and Phascolosorex"--P. 65.
Description
p. 63-223 : ill., maps ; 26 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 217-223).
Includes bibliographical references (p. 217-223).
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