Alpiscaptulus, 2021

Chen, Zhong-Zheng, He, Shui-Wang, Hu, Wen-Hao, Song, Wen-Yu, Onditi, Kenneth O., Li, Xue-You & Jiang, Xue-Long, 2021, Morphology and phylogeny of scalopine moles (Eulipotyphla: Talpidae: Scalopini) from the eastern Himalayas, with descriptions of a new genus and species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 193, pp. 432-444 : 439-440

ALPISCAPTULUS CHEN & JIANG , GEN. NOV.

Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:475D09CD-EB46-4522-ACE6-733C983CAA86

Type species: Alpiscaptulus medogensis Jiang & Chen , sp. nov.

Diagnosis: The following combination of characters defines the new genus. Medium in size (HB = 100 mm; GLS = 29.08 mm). The rostrum is long and slender. The tail is more than one-quarter the total length or twice the length of the hind foot and is moderately covered with pale brown to white hairs ( Fig. 4 ). The chin is covered with white hairs. Fore toes and hind toes are not webbed, and the first toe of hind foot is curved. The dental formula is 3.1.4.3/3.1.4.3 = 44. The zygomatic plates are less developed. The interorbital region is broad, without constriction and appears rectangular. The pterygoid region and the coronoid valley are shallow, with a weak and triangular coronoid process. The auditory bullae are incomplete.

Description: Because the new genus is monotypic, the description is the same as in the species description, presented below.

Etymology: The genus name Alpiscaptulus is derived from the Greek αλΠ, alp or high mountain, and σκαΠτύλος, a small digger. The genus name refers to a small digging animal living in the mountains.

Comparisons: Among the Scalopini tribe, Alpiscaptulus is most similar to the monotypic genus Scapanulus , and they are also the only two genera distributed in Asia. The two species have similar body sizes and share some unique characters in contrast with other species, such as curved thumbs of hind feet and relatively long tail, which is more than one-quarter the total length. However, they are strikingly dissimilar in many other external characters. The tail of Alpiscaptulus is moderately covered with pale brown to white hairs, unlike the dense dark brown hairs in Scapanulus . Thus, the tail of Alpiscaptulus is more slender than Scapanulus in appearance. The rostrum of Alpiscaptulus is much longer and more slender than that of Scapanulus . The most distinctive cranial difference between Alpiscaptulus and Scapanulus is the dentition. The possession of 44 teeth in Alpiscaptulus is distinguishable from Scapanulus (36 teeth), and the teeth of Alpiscaptulus are weaker and smaller than in Scapanulus . It can further be distinguished from Scapanulus by the less developed zygomatic plates, broader interorbital region, much shallower pterygoid region and coronoid valley, the reduced, triangular coronoid process and the relatively smaller measurements of UTL, M 2 -M 2, UML, P 4 M 3, ZB and CH ( Table 3 ).

Alpiscaptulus can be distinguished from the North American Scalopus , Scapanus and Parascalops by its smaller size, more slender rostrum, curved thumbs of hind feet and by the relatively longer (more than onequarter the total length), hairy and pale brown tail. Furthermore, the reduced and triangular coronoid process is much weaker than that of Parascalops and Scapanus , while the incomplete auditory bullae of Alpiscaptulus is noticeably different from Scalopus and Scapanus . The 44 teeth of Alpiscaptulus are distinct from Scalopus (36 teeth) and the webbed fore toes and hind toes of Scalopus are unique among scalopines.

Figures

Figure 4. Skins (dorsal view, left and ventral views, right) of the holotype of Alpiscaptulus medogensis (KIZ: 037966).