Parallomys, RENSBERGER, 1983, Rensberger, 1983

Hopkins, Samantha S. B., 2008, Phylogeny and evolutionary history of the Aplodontoidea (Mammalia: Rodentia), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 153 (4), pp. 769-838 : 793-794

‘ PARALLOMYS ’ RENSBERGER, 1983

Referred taxa: See Table 1.

Geographic and stratigraphic range: In the Late Oligocene of South Dakota, Nebraska, Oregon, France, Germany, and Switzerland, and in the Middle Miocene of Nebraska.

Discussion: This purported genus is a paraphyletic group along the main ‘backbone’ of the aplodontoid lineage leading up to the divergence of Allomys . The arrangement of the species in this group is consistent across all the different combinations of taxa and configurations of characters. Although the genus is paraphyletic, the only way to give each species a binomial name (still required in the absence of a final version of the PhyloCode) would be to name a new genus for each of the species. For the time being, the genus is left as a paraphyletic entity, although it remains a poor systematic term.

‘ PARALLOMYS ’ CAVATUS (COPE, 1881) COMB. NOV.

Allomys cavatus Cope, 1881b .

Material examined: Holotype & AMNH (6988) skull missing part of anterodorsal skull roof, with left P 4 –M 3, right M 3.

Geographic and stratigraphic range: In the Late Oligocene (Late Whitneyan or Early Arikareean NALMA) of Oregon.

Discussion: As this species also belongs to the paraphyletic region of the tree with all the other species previously referred to ‘ Parallomys ’, it is also referred to this genus.

‘ PARALLOMYS ’ STIRTONI ( KLINGENER, 1968) COMB. NOV.

Allomys stirtoni Klingener, 1968 .

Material examined: UNSM (85548), loc. Bw-106, UNSM 83000, loc. Bw-110, specimens referred by Voorhies (1990).

Geographic and stratigraphic range: In the mid- Miocene, Late Barstovian NALMA, Norden Bridge Quarry and Achilles Quarry, Brown County, NE, USA.

Discussion: This species also falls out in the paraphyletic region of the tree with all the other species previously referred to ‘ Parallomys ’, so it is also referred to this genus.