Hydromys grootensis Troughton, 1935b

Parnaby, Harry E., Ingleby, Sandy & Divljan, Anja, 2017, Type Specimens of Non-fossil Mammals in the Australian Museum, Sydney, Records of the Australian Museum 69 (5), pp. 277-420 : 355

Hydromys grootensis Troughton, 1935b

Rec. Aust. Mus. 19(4): 252, fig. 1. (19 September 1935).

Common name. Water Rat.

Current name. Hydromys chrysogaster É. Geoffroy, 1804 ; following Jackson & Groves (2015). Taxonomic status unresolved: several authors have noted the need for a detailed taxonomic review given the extensive size and colour variation within Hydromys chrysogaster (see Jackson & Groves, 2015).

Holotype. M.4476 by original designation. Male adult, skull, study skin, collected and presented in 1928 by Reverend H. E. Warren, registered January 1929.

Condition. Incomplete cranium, missing braincase and posterior half of the right zygomatic arch. Right maxillary tooth row and posterior half of palate are detached. Right dentary missing distal half of angular process, left dentary complete. Study skin has two bald patches on the mid dorsal surface, fur has faded.

Type locality. Groote Eylandt, Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory, Australia. Troughton (1941) states that the original specimen was collected “near the Mission”.

Comments. Apparently based on a single specimen. Most authors since Ride (1970) have not recognized grootensis as a valid taxon but its status has not been subject to detailed evaluation.