phylogenetic relationships and classification of didelphid marsupials ...

92 BULLETIN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 322
synapomorphies when this gene is eventually
sequenced for Caluromysiops. Although most
recent authors (e.g., Reig et al., 1985, 1987;
Kirsch and Palma, 1995; McKenna and Bell,
1997; Gardner, 2005, 2008) have included
Glironia in the Caluromyinae (or Caluromyidae),
that genus appears to represent an
ancient lineage of basal didelphids that may
not be closely related to Caluromys +
Caluromysiops (see Jansa and Voss, 2000;
this report, above). The authorship of familygroup
names based on Caluromys is often
attributed to Kirsch (1977b), but no such
name in that work fulfills the technical
criteria for nomenclatural availability (ICZN,
1999: Article 13). Apparently, the first
explicit statement of characters purported to
differentiate this taxon from other opossums
appeared in Reig et al. (1987: 72).
Caluromys J.A. Allen, 1900
Figure 38
CONTENTS: derbianus Waterhouse, 1841
(including antioquiae Matschie, 1917; aztecus
Thomas, 1913; canus Matschie, 1917; centralis
Hollister, 1914; fervidus Thomas, 1913;
guayanus Thomas, 1899; nauticus Thomas,
1913; pallidus Thomas, 1899; pictus Thomas,
1913; pulcher Matschie, 1917; pyrrhus Thomas,
1901; and senex Thomas, 1913); lanatus
Olfers, 1818 (including bartletti Matschie,
1917; cahyensis Matschie, 1917; cicur Bangs,
1898; hemiurus Miranda-Ribeiro, 1936; jivaro
Thomas, 1913; juninensis Matschie, 1917;
lanigera Desmarest, 1820; meridensis Matschie,
1917; modesta Miranda-Ribeiro, 1936; nattereri
Matschie, 1917; ochropus Wagner, 1842;
ornatus Tschudi, 1845; and vitalinus Miranda-
Ribeiro, 1936); and philander Linnaeus, 1758
(including affinis Wagner, 1842; cajopolin
Müller, 1776; cayopollin Schreber, 1777;
cayopollin Kerr, 1792; dichurus Wagner,
1842; flavescens Brongniart, 1792; leucurus
Thomas, 1904; trinitatis Thomas, 1894; and
venezuelae Thomas, 1903).
These taxa are currently allocated to two
subgenera, Caluromys J.A. Allen, 1900 (containing
only C. philander), and Mallodelphys
Thomas, 1920 (containing C. derbianus and
C. lanatus), that can be distinguished unambiguously
by the traits noted below.
MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION: Combined
length of adult head and body ca. 210–
300 mm; adult weight ca. 190–500 g. Rhinarium
with two ventrolateral grooves on each
side of median sulcus; dark circumocular
mask present; pale supraocular spot absent;
dark midrostral stripe present; throat gland
absent. Dorsal pelage unpatterned, grayish or
reddish brown, or indistinctly mottled with
same colors; dorsal underfur grayish; dorsal
guard hairs short and inconspicuous; ventral
fur gray based or self-colored. Manual digit
IV longer than other manual digits; manual
claws longer than fleshy apical pads of digits;
dermatoglyph-bearing manual plantar pads
present; central palmar epithelium smooth or
sparsely tuberculate; carpal tubercles absent.
Pedal digits unwebbed; pedal digit IV longer
than other pedal digits; plantar surface of
heel naked. Pouch present, consisting of
separate lateral skin folds opening medially
(subgenus Caluromys) or a deep pocket
opening anteriorly (subgenus Mallodelphys);
known mammary formulae apparently 2–0–2
5 4 (in C. lanatus) and 3–1–3 5 7 (in C.
philander); cloaca present. Tail much longer
than combined length of head and body,
slender and muscular (not incrassate); body
fur extends onto tail base to the same extent
dorsally as ventrally (subgenus Caluromys) or
much further dorsally than ventrally (subgenus
Mallodelphys); naked caudal integument
dark (grayish or brownish) basally and whitish
distally with mottled transition; caudal scales
in spiral series, each scale with three subequal
bristlelike hairs emerging from distal margin
(the central hair of each caudal-scale triplet
longer than the lateral hairs but not grossly
swollen or petiolate); naked ventral caudal
surface modified for prehension, with raised
tubercles near base (Mallodelphys only) and
apical pad bearing dermatoglyphs.
Premaxillary rostral process present. Nasals
long, extending anteriorly above I1
(concealing nasal orifice from dorsal view),
and conspicuously widened posteriorly near
maxillary-frontal suture. Maxillary turbinals
elaborately branched. Lacrimal foramina
exposed to lateral view at or near anterior
orbital margin, usually two on each side.
Large, flattened, triangular postorbital processes
of frontals present. Left and right
frontals and parietals separated by persistent