Abstract
A new species of short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis) is described from the lowland forest of southeastern Peru. The new species is similar and more related to Monodelphis adusta Thomas, 1897, but is comparatively larger, and lighter in color. Other species known to occur in the area (M. emiliae and M. glirina) have no closer resemblance to the new species. Other characters useful to distinguish this new species are a heavy, broad, and extremely flattened skull, with a conspicuous sagittal crest. The premaxilla is short and the upper incisor rows are wide apart. During the comparisons of the new species with M. adusta, it became clear that two subspecies of the latter could be recognized and morphologically diagnosed: Monodelphis a. adusta and M. a. peruviana. Their distributions are limited to the south and to the north, respectively, by the Amazon River. The name M. melanops, described from Panama is a junior synonym of M. a. adusta, but M. osgoodi, described from the highlands of Bolivia is a valid species, and probably has no close relationships to either M. adusta or the new species here described.
Zusammenfassung
Eine neue Art des kurzschwänzigen Opossums (Monodelphis) aus den Tieflandwäldern des südöstlichen Perus wird beschrieben. Die neue Art ist nahe verwandt mit Monodelphis adusta Thomas, 1897, und dieser sehr ähnlich, aber verhältnismäßig größer und von hellerer Farbe. Die diagnostischen Merkmale dieser neuen Art sind ein schwerer, breiter und extrem flacher Schädel mit einem auffallendem Sagittalkamm. Das Prämaxillare ist kurz, die oberen Schneidezähne stehen weit auseinander. Zwei Unterarten von M. adusta können morphologisch unterschieden werden: Monodelphis a. adusta und M. a. peruviana. Ihre geographische Verbreitung wird durch den Amazonas auf den Süden beziehungsweise den Norden beschränkt. M. melanops, beschrieben aus Panama, ist ein jüngeres Synomym von M. a. adusta, aber M. osgoodi aus dem bolivianischen Hochland ist eine gültige Art.
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Solari, S. A new species of Monodelphis (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) from southeastern Peru. Mamm Biol 69, 145–152 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1078/1616-5047-00129
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1078/1616-5047-00129