Chrotomys silaceus Thomas 1895

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Muridae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 1189-1531 : 1305

Chrotomys silaceus Thomas 1895

Chrotomys silaceus Thomas 1895 , Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, 16: 161.

Type Locality: Philippines, N Luzon Isl, Mt Data, Lepanto, 8000 ft (2440 m).

Vernacular Names: Blazed Luzon Chrotomys.

Distribution: Greater Luzon Faunal Region in the Philippines. Endemic to montane forest in N Luzon; known from Benguet and Kalinga provinces ( Heaney et al., 1998; Largen, 1985; Rickart and Heaney, 2002; Sanborn, 1952 a), 1800-2500 m, but probably lives in montane forest formations elsewhere on N Luzon.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc) as Celaenomys silaceus .

Discussion: Standard karyotype (2n = 44, FN = 52) is indistinguishable from those of Rhynchomys isarogensis and Chrotomys gonzalesi (Rickart and Heaney, 2002) . Made the type species of Celaenomys , a genus separated from Chrotomys by its lack of M3 ( Thomas, 1898 b). Celaenomys has been recognized in past compendia ( Ellerman, 1941; Heaney et al., 1998; Musser and Heaney, 1992), but recently synonymized with Chrotomys because M3 occurs in one or both molar rows in some specimens ( Corbet and Hill, 1992; Musser’s observations). A suite of highly distinctive and derived external and cranial traits unites silaceus with other species of Chrotomys to the exclusion of the other Philippine shrew rats, Archboldomys , Crunomys , and Rhynchomys ( Musser and Heaney, 1992) .