Niviventer andersoni pianmaensis Li et Yang

Li, Song & Yang, Junxing, 2009, Geographic variation of the Anderson’s Niviventer (Niviventer andersoni) (Thomas, 1911) (Rodentia: Muridae) of two new subspecies in China verified with cranial morphometric variables and pelage characteristics, Zootaxa 2196, pp. 48-58 : 54-56

Niviventer andersoni pianmaensis Li et Yang , subsp. nov.

Holotype: KIZ 74096, 3, adult, collected on 29 January 1974.

Type locality: Pianma (26 0 00’ N, 98 0 37’E, elev. 1960 m), western Yunnan province, China.

Diagnosis: Although the back is as a mixture of gray and ochraceous as the other two subspecies, it is darker; Belly yellow-whitish; the sides of the cheeks ochraceous without any grayish tone. C.Ds of LUM, or HM, orLLM, or MH between N. a. andersoni and N. a. pianmaensis is larger than 1.28, and C.D. of HM or LLM is larger than 1.28 between N. a. ailaoshanensis and N. a. pianmaensis ( Table 4 ).

Measurements of the holotype: External measurements (in mm): length of head and body, 160; tail length, 218; hind foot length, 35; ear length, 21. Cranial measurements (in mm): greatest length of the skull (GLS), 42.23; occipito-nasal length (ONL), 42.04; incisor breadth (IB), 3.02; length of incisive foramen (LIF), 7.48; length of upper molars (LUM), 6.89; interparietal width (IW), 11.53; mastoid breadth (MB), 10.42; braincase breadth (BD), 16.38; length of mandible (LM), 25.78; height of mandible (HM), 9.33; length of lower molars (LLM), 6.56; lower tooth row (LTR), 16.89; mandibular height (MH), 4.83.

Paratype: KIZ 74097, Ƥ, adult, collected on 29 January 1974 from the type locality..

Paratype measurements: External measurements (in mm): length of head

and body, 148; tail length, 210; hind foot length, 35; ear length, 21. Cranial measurements (in mm): greatest length of the skull (GLS), 40.59; occipito-nasal length (ONL), 40.39; incisor breadth (IB), 3.07; length of incisive foramen (LIF), 7.25; length of upper molars (LUM), 6.83; interparietal width (IW), 12.28; mastoid breadth (MB), 11.03; braincase breadth (BD), 16.55; length of mandible (LM), 24.65; height of mandible (HM), 9.32; length of lower molars (LLM), 6.95; lower tooth row (LTR), 16.65; mandibular height (MH), 4.83.

Other referred specimens: 11 3, 5ƤƤ, one of them ( KIZ 99074) from

Tengchong, 12 of them ( KIZ 74012, 74085, 74086, 74098, 74120, 74122,

74130, 74131, 74132, 74152, 74180, 74181) from Pianma, and the rest ( KIZ 74289, 74330, 74331) from Yaojiaping.

Distribution: The new subspecies is distributed in Pianma, Yaojiaping, and Tengchong areas (western Yunnan province).

Etymology: The new subspecies is named according to the type locality.

Morphological description: N. a. pianmaensis subsp. nov. is recognized with the following characteristics: (1) General dorsal color is blacker than the other two subspecies; (2) Flanks and sides of cheeks and neck are ochraceous-buff, and the sides of muzzle only ochraceous without any grayish tone; (3) Areas that extend from the muzzle to and around each eye are blackish brown; (4) Underparts are yellowwhitish, but the chin pure whitish, and all of specimens examined in the study have a small spot on the chest; (5) Ears are dark brown; (6) The upper surfaces of the front and hind feet are dark brown with some whitish more or less; (7) The upper surface of the tail is blackish brown, but the distal quarter to third whitish.

The holotypes and paratypes of the two new subspecies are deposited in the Museum of Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIZ, CAS) (Kunming, China).