Rattus arfakiensis Rümmler 1935

• Main Authors: Wilson, Don E., Reeder, DeeAnn
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: The Johns Hopkins University Press 2005
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Rodentia; Muridae; Rattus; Rattus arfakiensis; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11335447; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/6F1040119281C21D99B96654ABA94284

Rattus arfakiensis Rümmler 1935 Rattus arfakiensis Rümmler 1935, Z. Saugetierk., 10: 118. Type Locality: New Guinea, NW Prov. of Papua (= Irian Jaya), Vogelkop Peninsula, Arfak Mtns, 2000 m. Vernacular Names: Vogelkop Mountain Rat. Distribution: Recorded only by the holotype from the Arfak Mtns. Discussion: Rattus leucopus species group; member of the R. niobe complex. Usually associated with R. niobe as a subspecies (Laurie and Hill, 1954; Tate, 1951) or one of the synonyms of R. niobe arrogans (Taylor et al., 1982). Its brown upperparts and long incisive foramina do not fit neatly into either R. niobe , R. pococki , or R. arrogans . We provisionally recognize arfakiensis as a species until a fresh assessment is made of individual and geographic variation among samples of the R. niobe complex. A larger series of arfakiensis is required for study to determine its relationship to populations of this complex in the Central Cordillera of Prov. of Papua (= Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea. Published as part of Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Muridae, pp. 1189-1531 in Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore :The Johns Hopkins University Press on page 1465, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7316535