Abstract

GARCIA, Franger J.  and  SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ, Elvira. Cranial geometric morphometric in three species of neotropical climbing rats (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Rhipidomys) in Venezuela. Therya [online]. 2013, vol.4, n.1, pp.157-178. ISSN 2007-3364.  https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-13-101.

In this study, we compared a new population of Rhipidomys from the Sierra de Aroa-Yaracuy State in Venezuela with taxa included within the R. fulviventer section sensu Tribe (1996). We used geometric morphometrics from selected landmarks on the skull, and mandible of three species of Rhipidomys, and three subspecies of R. fulviventer housed in Venezuelan museums. We grouped every taxon as R. venustus Aroa (Sierra de Aroa), R. venustus (Sistema de colinas Lara-Falcón, Cordillera Central, and Andes-Cordillera de Mérida), R. wetzeli (Guayana), R. fulviventer elatturus (Andes-El Tamá), R. fulviventer ssp. 1 (Cordillera Central), and R. fulviventer tenuicauda (Cordillera Oriental). We measured every landmark with its opposite with the purpose to corroborate the results with the linear morphometrics, using the program TPSDig. The results support the proposed taxonomy that previously recognized three species, and three subspecies within R. fulviventer. However, the analysis separated R. venustus Aroa as a distinct group. The landmarks on the dorsal view showed the greatest differences in the Rhipidomys studied. R. venustus Aroa, and R. venustus were the two largest taxa, and R. wetzeli was the smallest. Among the subspecies of R. fulviventer, R. f. ssp. 1, showed less differentiation in the shape, and R. f. tenuicauda showed the strongest differentiation. The Sierra de Aroa population needs careful taxonomic revision because it may represent an undescribed taxon within R. venustus.

Keywords : geometric morphometrics; landmarks; Sierra de Aroa; Yaracuy; Yurubí National Park.

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