Sigmodontinae
From Freepedia
| Sigmodontinae Fossil Range: Early Pliocene - Recent | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image:Sigmodon hispidus1.jpg Sigmodon hispidus | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Tribes | ||||||||||||||
|
See text |
The Sigmodontinae is one of the most diverse groups of mammals. It includes at least 376 species. Many authorities include the Neotominae and Tylomyinae as part of a larger definition of Sigmodontinae. When those genera are included, the species count numbers at least 508. They are distributed throughout the New World, but are predominantly South American. The sigmodontines inhabit many of the same ecological niches that the Murinae inhabit in the Old World.
The "Thomasomyini" from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil are generally thought to be not especially related to the "real" Thomasomyini from the northern Andes and Amazonia. The genera Wiedomys and Sigmodon are generally placed in their own tribe, and the "phyllotines" Irenomys, Punomys, Euneomys, and Reithrodon are considered incertae sedis.
The Sigmodontinae are divided into a number of tribes and genera:
- Subfamily Sigmodontinae
- Tribe Sigmodontini
- Tribe Ichthyomyini
- Oryzomyalia
- Tribe Oryzomyini
- Tribe Thomasomyini
- Tribe Wiedomyini
- Tribe Akodontini
- Tribe Phyllotini
- Tribe Scapteromyini
References
- D'Elía, G., L. Luna, E. M. González, B. D. Patterson. 2005. On the Sigmodontinae radiation (Rodentia, Cricetidae): An appraisal of the phylogenetic position of Rhagomys. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
