Heads up: Some or all of the identifications affected by this split may have been replaced with identifications of Rhabdomys. This happens when we can't automatically assign an identification to one of the output taxa. Review identifications of Rhabdomys pumilio 45723

Taxonomic Split 127230 (Committed on 04-08-2023)

Rhabdomys pumilio has been split into 5 spp, recognised by MDD. The additional species had already been added but needs a split too. Ranges from https://h8l0bb.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/56.-Four-striped-Grass-Mouse-Rhabdomys-spp_LC.pdf

ASM Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) (Citation)
Added by rjq on 18 June, 2023 19:33 | Committed by rjq on 04 August, 2023
split into

Comments

Wow: 93% of records of this species are from the Fynbos Biome.

Is that in any way a real reflection on this species' abundance on the subcontinent?
(about 150 observations defaulted to genus - not included here: many of these from the Grassveld around Cradock and Graaff Reinet).

Posted by tonyrebelo about 1 year ago

Paper:
https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-vertebrate-biology/volume-69/issue-2/jvb.20013/An-update-on-the-distribution-and-diversification-of-Rhabdomys-sp/10.25225/jvb.20013.full

During the last two decades, genotyping of African rodents has revealed important hidden diversity within morphologically cryptic genera, such as Rhabdomys. Although the distribution of Rhabdomys is known historically, its diversity has been revealed only recently, and information about the distribution range of its constituent taxa is limited. The present study contributes to clarifying the distribution of Rhabdomys taxa, primarily in southern Africa, and identifies gaps in our knowledge, by: 1) compiling the available information on its distribution; and 2) significantly increasing the number of geo-localised and genotyped specimens (n = 2428) as well as the localities (additional 48 localities) sampled. We present updated distribution maps, including the occurrence and composition of several contact zones. A long-term monitoring of three contact zones revealed their instability, and raises questions as to the role of demography, climate, and interspecific competition on species range limits. Finally, an analysis of external morphological traits suggests that tail length may be a reliable taxonomic trait to distinguish between mesic and arid taxa of Rhabdomys. Tail length variation in Rhabdomys and other rodents has been considered to be an adaptation to climatic (thermoregulation) and/or to habitat (climbing abilities) constraints, which has still to be confirmed in Rhabdomys.

Posted by tonyrebelo about 1 year ago

useful map: https://bioone.org/ContentImages/Journals/fozo.1/69/2/jvb.20013/graphic/img-z5-10_01.jpg

The "missing" group was largely R. intermedius.

Posted by tonyrebelo about 1 year ago

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