University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum Museum, University of Nebraska State January 1978 Liomys salvini Catherine H. Carter Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX Hugh H. Genoways University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museummammalogy Part of the Zoology Commons Carter, Catherine H. and Genoways, Hugh H., "Liomys salvini" (1978). Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum. 88. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museummammalogy/88 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Museum, University of Nebraska State at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. MAMMALIANSPECIES No. 84. pp. 1-5. 6 figs. L~O~YSsalvini. By Catherine H. Carter and Hugh H. Genoways Published 6 January 1978 by The American Society of Mammalogists Liomys salvini (Thomas, 1893) interparietal width, 8.6 + 0.17 (7.9 to 10.0) 28, 8.8 + 0.22 (8.0 to 10.0) 19; interparietal length, 3.8 + 0.13 (3.1 to 4.4) 29, 3.8 + Salvin's Spiny Pocket Mouse 0.14 (3.2 to 4.5) 19. External and cranial measurements (statistics in the same order as above) of southern populations from central Heterom,~ salztnl Thomas, 1893:331. Type locality Duerias, Nicaragua are as follows (males followed by females): total length, Guatemala. 229.2 + 4.31 (213.0 to 253.0) 26, 218.7 + 5.54 (196.0 to 248.0) Liomys crispus Merriam, 1902:49. Type locality Tonal6, Chiapas. 27; length of tail, 116.8 + 4.02 (94.0 to 151.0) 26, 111.6 + 3.06 Liomys heterothrix Merriam, 1902:50. Type locality San Pedro (100.0 to 128.0) 27; length of hind foot, 27.6 a 0.52 (25.0 to 30.0) Sula, Honduras. 31, 26.7 a 0.47 (24.0 to 29.0) 34; greatest length of skull, 31.8 + Heteromvs vulcani J. A. Allen. 1908:652. Tv~elocalitv Volcin 0.40 (29.3 to 33.8) 32, 31.1 t 0.47 (28.7 to 33.8) 32; zygomatic de ~hinandega:about 4000 ft., ?Vicarag;a'. breadth, 14.5 + 0.25 (13.5 to 15.7) 22, 14.3 + 0.25 (13.0 to 15.3) Liomys anthonyi Goodwin, 1932:2. Type locality Sacapulas, 4500 25; interorbital constriction, 6.8 + 0.09 (6.2 to 7.4) 36, 6.6 f ft., Guatemala. 0.08 (6.1 to 7.3) 37; mastoid breadth, 13.7 + 0.14 (12.9 to 14.7) CONTEXT AND CONTENT. Order Rodentia, Family 34, 13.6 + 0.17 (12.7 to 14.9) 37; length of nasals, 12.2 a 0.24 Heteromyidae, Subfamily Heteromyinae. The species contains (11.0 to 13.9) 37, 11.8 + 0.22 (10.4 to 13.3) 35; length of rostrum, three subspecies (Genoways, 1973:231-244) as follows: 13.7 + 0.20 (12.4 to 14.6) 36, 13.2 f 0.26 (11.9 to 14.7) 30; length of maxillary toothrow, 4.7 a 0.09 (4.2 to 5.5) 36,4.7 + 0.08 (4.2 to L. s. crispus Merriam (1902:49), as above (setosus Merriam is 5.2) 39; depth of braincase, 8.4 + 0.12 (7.6 to 9.0) 31, 8.2 f 0.13 a synonym). (7.5 to 9.2) 34; interparietal width, 8.7 + 0.23 (7.2 to 10.5) 34, L, s. sa1z;ini (Thomas, 1893:331), as above (nigrescens Thomas, 8.6 + 0.18 (7.5 to 9.8) 35; interparietal length, 4.1 + 0.11 (3.6 to heterothrix Merriam, anthonyi Goodwin, and aterrimus 4.8) 34, 4.0 f 0.11 (3.4 to 4.7) 35. Goodwin are synonyms). Three subspecies are recognized. In coastal areas of south- L. s. vulcani (J. A. Allen, 1908:652), as above. DIAGNOSIS. External and cranial measurements (figure 1) are small for the genus, the tail being especially short; protoloph of permanent upper premolar appears to be composed of one cusp, metaloph composed of three and sometimes four cusps, metacone of metaloph sometimes larger than hypocone, entostyle distinctly separated from other cusps of metaloph; re- entrant angle on labial margip of lower premolar connects with median valley; baculum has large rounded base, shaft oval to point just posterior to the slightly upturned tip where it is dorsoventrally flattened; glans penis is medium-sized in compari- son with length of baculum, tip of glans short; glans is highly sculptured, ventral folds deeply incised; urethral lappets are bi- lobed; 2N = 56; F.V = 86; head of spermatozoon is short, having a bluntly rounded apex and distinct neck between head and midpiece; wings of pterygoids are narrow; six plantar tubercles are present: upper incisors are asulcate. GENERAL CHARACTERS. Pelage is hispid, consisting of stiff spines mingled with slender soft hairs; slender hairs on back curl upward, conspicuous above spines; upper parts are grayish brown to deep chocolate brown; there is no lateral stripe; underparts are white. Juvenile pelage is grayish and consists primarily of soft slender hairs. Dental formula, as in all other heteromyids, is i 111, c 010, p 111, m 313, total 20. Males were significantly larger than females in six (total length, length of hind foot, greatest length of skull, zygomatic breadth, interorbital breadth, and length of rostrum) of the 13 external and cranial measurements tested. Males had the larger mean in five measurements (length of tail, mastoid breadth, length of nasals, depth of braincase, and interparietal length) in which the means were not significantly different. In two measurements (length of maxillary toothrow and interparietal length), females had the larger mean (Genoways, 1973). External and cranial measurements in millimeters (mean, f 2 SE, range, and number) of northern populations from south- eastern Chiapas and southwestern Guatemala are as follows (males followed by females): total length, 209.8 + 4.65 (1%.0 to 235.0) 18, 199.8 a 5.82 (185.0 to 225.0) 13; length of tail, 100.1 + 3.16 (88.0 to 110.0) 18, 93.2 + 4.19 (81.0 to 110.0) 13; lenah of hind foot, 26.9 t 0.52 (25.0 to 30.0) 22, 26.3 + 0.60 (24.0 to 29.0) 15; greatest length of skull, 32.1 a 0.32 (30.4 to 33.7) 24, 30.8 + 0.46 (29.0 to 32.3) 17; zygomatic breadth, 14.9 + 0.25 (14.2 to 16.0) 18, 14.7 + 0.38 (13.8 to 15.9) 13; interorbital constriction, 6.5 + 0.09 (5.9 to 7.0) 30, 6.5 + 0.08 (6.1 to 6.8) 20; mastoid breadth, 13.8 + 0.15 (13.2 to 15.0) 29, 13.7 + 0.18 (13.1 to 14.5) 20; length of nasals, 12.1 2 0.24 (10.8 to 12.8) 25, 11.6 + 0.33 (10.2 to 12.8) 18; length of rostrum, 13.5 f 0.20 (12.2 to 14.4) FIGURE1. Dor~al,ventral, and lateral views of the cranium 24, 12.9 + 0.31 (11.8 to 14.0) 14; length of maxillary toothrow, and lateral view of lower jaw of Liomys salvini salvini. The 4.8 + 0.08 (4.3 to 5.2) 28, 4.8 + 0.11 (4.4 to 5.2) 15; depth of specimen figured is a male from 23110 mi. W, Y4 mi. N Istapa, braincase, 8.7 + 0.11 (8.0 to 9.4) 27, 8.4 + 0.09 (8.0 to 8.8) 17; Escuintla, Guatemala. The scale is 10 mm. MAMMALIAN SPECIES 84 FIGURE2. Geographic distribution of subspecies of Liomys salvini: 1, L. s. crispus; 2, L. s. salvini; 3, L. s. vulcani. The occurrence of L. s. salvini to the east of Lake Nicaragua is questionable at present. eastern Oaxaca, Chiapas, and southwestern Guatemala, Liomys salvini crispus is distinguished by medium size, short body and tail, no individuals with a divided interparietal bone, and a high percentage (more than 64%) of individuals with the posterior margin of the interparietal bone deeply notched. Liomys salvini vulcani from western Nicaragua is distinguished by its consistently smaller size in both external and cranial measurements. The remainder of the geographic range of the species is occupied by Liomys salvini salvini distinguished by its large external and cranial measurements, the presence of at least some individuals in all populations with divided inter- parietal bones, and a low percentage of individuals (usually less than 5Wo) with the posterior margin of the interparietal bone deeply notched (see Genoways, 1973, for additional information). DISTRIBUTION. Liomys salvini is the only species of the genus that occurs throughout much of the Pacific coast and slopes of the adjacent mountains of Central America (figure 2). The northernmost record is Reforma, Oaxaca. From there, the species occurs southward through Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, to central Costa Rica. Although L. salvini is mainly confined to the Pacific drainage, it does occur in the dry valleys of the Caribbean drainage of central and eastern Guatemala; evidently the species occurs along the dry valley of the Rio Motagua and its tributaries as far as San Pedro Sula in northern Honduras. The southernmost record for the species is from Monte Rey, 22 km S San Jos6, Costa Rica FIGURE3. Glans penis (upper), baculum (lower right), and head (Genoways, 1973). and neck region of spermatozoan (lower left) of Liomys salvini.