Mirzamys
| Mirzamys | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Mirzamys | ||||||||||||
| Helgen & Helgen , 2009 |
Mirzamys is a rodent genus found in New Guineafrom the group of old world mice (Murinae). The genus was only introduced in 2009 and named in honor of the Pakistani mammalogen Abid Beg Mirza, whocollectedmost of the type specimens of Mirzamys .
Types and distribution
To Mirzamys include two types, Mirzamys louiseae , the type species , which in the Star Mountains in the provinces of Western and Sandaun and Mirzamys norahae from the Kaijende Highlands province Enga . A single subfossil lower jaw, which was found at a height of 3450 meters on Puncak Jaya in the Indonesian part of New Guinea and which can be assigned to the genus, but not to a specific species, is considered an indication that the range of the genus may still extend to western New Guinea today extends. The two known species live in mountain forests and subalpine grassland at altitudes between 1900 and 3450 meters.
features
Mirzamys species are small, brown-gray colored mice. Numerous features, such as the soft and dense fur, the small eyes, the narrow snout, the small teeth, the small paws and the medium-long tail, indicate that the mice are terrestrial (ground dwelling). They are similar to the New Guinea moss mice ( Pseudohydromys ) but are slightly larger, about the same size as the false swimming rat ( Xeromys myoides ) and have a longer and slimmer snout, a longer, wider and more arched skull and longer legs. The bones of the brain skull are thin and transparent. The animals have not yet been weighed. However, it is estimated that adult specimens of both species weigh 30 to 40 grams. The premaxillary protrudes over the front edge of the incisors and the elongated nose protrudes over the premaxillary. The opisthodontic upper incisors have light orange-yellow enamel , while the enamel of the lower incisors is ivory in color. Each half of the upper and lower jaw has two large, high-crowned molars . The molars of the upper jaw have three roots, those of the lower jaw two. The paws are similar to those of the New Guinea moss mice and are not very widened as in the amphibious species Baiyankamys or the swimming rats of the genera Crossomys , Hydromys and Parahydromys .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Kristofer M. Helgen & Lauren E. Helgen: Chapter 8. Biodiversity and Biogeography of the Moss-mice of New Guinea: A Taxonomic Revision of Pseudohydromys (Muridae: Murinae) . Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History Number 331: 230-313. 2009 doi: 10.1206 / 582-8.1