Vol. XXVIII, pp. 133-138 June 29, 1915
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
FIVE NEW MAMMALS FROM MEXICO AND ARIZONA.
BY E. A. GOLDMAN.
The following descriptions of hitherto unrecognized forms of
mammals in the collection of the Biological Survey are based
in part on material gathered by E. W. Nelson and myself,
mainly in Mexico. One of the woodrats was included in a
collection of mammals made by Charles Sheldon during a
recent visit to the state of Sonora, Mexico,
Potos flavus guerrerensis subsp. nov.
GUERRERO KINKAJOU.
Type from near Ometepec, Guerrero, Mexico. No. 74,683, male adult,
U. S. National Museum (Biological Survey Collection), collected by
E. W. Nelson, and E. A. Goldman, February 15, 1895. Original number
7464.
General characters.—Size and color about as in P. f. aztecus; skull less
elongated, the rostrum and frontal region relatively broad ; audital bullae
more fully inflated, rounded and bulging conspicuously below basiocci-
pital, instead of flattened as in all of its known relatives in Middle
America.
Color.—Type: Upperparts near clay color (Ridgway, 1912), somewhat
suflFused with ochraceous-tawny, especially on neck, the top of head and
back darkened by brownish-tipped hairs; underparts, Including inner
sides of limbs and under side of tail cinnamon-buffy, this color darkest
across abdomen and becoming clay color along the sides ; outer sides of
limbs and feet to base of toes similar to back, the toes more brownish.
Another specimen, an adult male, is richer, more ochraceous-tawny in
color, with an elongated dark brown patch on the median line of the
abdomen also
; present in some specimens of other forms of the group.
Skull.—Similar to that of P. f. aztecus, but less elongated, the rostrum
and frontal region relatively broad basioccipital narrower and less dis-;
tinctly ridged along median line; audital bullae more inflated, projecting
26—Pkoc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. XXVIII. 1915. C133)
134 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington.
more conspicuously below basioccipital ; postorbital processes stout and
tapering as in aztecus, not peg-like as in— P.f. cMriquensis.Measurements. Type: Total length, 1050; tail vertebrse, 536; hind
foot, 110. An adult male topotype: 950; 490; 103. Skull (type) : Great-
est length, 93.5; condylo-basal length, 89.1; zygomatic breadth, 61.9;
interorbital breadth, 22.3; breadth of rostrum, 23.7; breadth across
mastoid processes, 46.3; alveolar length of upper molariform tooth-
row, 21.
Remarks.—An arm of the general range of the Polos flavus group
extends northward in the tropical belt along the Pacific coast west of the
high mountains of the interior to Papayo ( near Acapulco ) , Guerrero, and
perhaps farther. Specimens from this region do not differ appreciably in
general size or color from P. f. aztecus of eastern Mexico, but the cranial
characters are distinctive.
Specimens examined.—Four, from localities in Guerrero as follows:
Near Ometepec (type locality), 3; Papayo, 1.
Qeomys personatus tropicalis subsp. nov.
TAMAULIPAS POCKET GOPHER.
7)/pe from Alta Mira, Tamaulipas, Mexico. No. 92,946, male adult,
U. S. National Museum (Biological Survey Collection), collected by E. A.
Goldman, April 18, 1898. Original number 12,320.
General characters.—Similar in color to G. p. personatus and G. p.
fallax; size rather small, about as in fallax, much smaller than in typi-
cal personatus; skull differing in detail from both, especially in the
anteriorly spreading zygomata, slenderer posterior ends of premaxillse,
and narrower interpterygoid fossa.
Color.—Type (somewhat worn pelage) : General color of upperparts
between cinnamon and cinnamon-buff, fading to light buff along lower
part of sides; the top of head and back thinly overlaid with brown;
underparts white ; feet thinly clothed with short whitish hairs ; tail nearly
naked; flesh-colored.
Skull.—Similar in size to that of G. p. fallax, much smaller than that
of G. p. personatus; zygomata narrowing posteriorly, the sides less nearly
parallel, and ascending branches of premaxillae narrower, more tapering
posteriorly than in fallax or typical personatus; interpterygoid fossa
narrow mastoid and audital bullpe shrunken in
; appearance much as in
typical personatus, not swollen or rounded as in fallax.
Measurements.—Type: Total length, 270; tail vertebrse, 86; hind foot,
33. Skull (type): Condylo-basal length, 46.9; zygomatic breadth, 30.4;
interorbital breadth, 6.2; length of nasals, 17,6; alveolar length of upper
molar series—,
10.
Remarks. No specimens of the genus Geomys, as now restricted, have
hitherto been recorded from Mexico. The discovery of a form of G.
personatus in extreme southern Tamaulipas, therefore, materially extends
the known range of the group to the southward.
Specimens examined.—Twelve, all from the type locality.
Goldman—Five New Mammals from Mexico and Arizona. 135
Neotoma albigula mearnsi subsp. nov.
MEARNS WOOD RAT.
Type from Tinajas Altas, near international boundary, southwestern
Arizona. No. 202,981, male adult, U. 8. National Museum (Biological
Survey Collection), collected by E. A. Goldman, November 21, 1913.
Original number 22, .300.
General characters.—Closely allied to N. a. albigula but paler, the
ground color of upperparts light buff instead of warm buff or light
ochraceous-buff of Ridgway, 1912, as in that form; underparts purer
white, the areas of basally plumbeous fur more restricted tail; less sharply
bicolor, grayer above.
Color.—Type (fresh pelage): Upperparts light buff, nearly pure on
cheeks, flanks and outer sides of limbs, the top of head and back rather
thinly lined or overlaid with an admixture of black-tipped hairs under-;
parts, including lips, sides of muzzle, and inner sides of limbs white, the
fur pure white to roots except along flanks and sides of abdomen where
it is pale plumbeous basally; ears grayish, edged with white; feet white;
tail grayish above (light and dark hairs intermixed), white below.
Skull.—Like that of N. a. albigula; palate concave posteriorly and
first upper molar with antero-internal reentrant angle shallow, as in the
typical form.
Measurements.—Type: Total length, 337; tail vertebr?e, 165; hind
foot, 35. Average of two adult topotypes: 332 (329-335); 158 (157-159) ;
32 (31.5-32.5). Skull (type): Greatest length, 43.2; zygomatic breadth,
21.5; interorbital breadth, 5.9; length of nasals, 16; length of anterior
palatine foramina, 8.6; length of palatal bridge, 7.7; length of upper
molar series, 8.5.
Remarks.—The pallid coloration of this form readily distinguishes it
from N. a. albigula whose range includes most of Arizona, New Mexico,
eastern Texas and much of northern Mexico. N. a. mearnsi is probably
restricted to the extremely arid desert area extending from near the type
locality southward along the eastern side of the Gulf of California—a
region largely covered with shifting, whitish sand. Close comparison
with N. a. melanura and N. a. seri of southern Sonora is unnecessary,
both being darker forms with differing cranial details. The skull of
N. a. seri is somewhat smaller and less massive, with narrower frontal
region, smaller interparietal and slightly smaller audital bullae. Some of
the specimens of N. a. albigula from Sonoyta, Sonora, are pale and
apparently show gradation toward the present form. The pallid colora-
tion of three or four examples of N. albigula from Tinajas Altas and
vicinity was pointed out by Mearns* who contrasted them with the
darker animals inhabiting the Gila River bottom. It was not until the
accession of new material that the necessity of recognizing a new form
became apparent. It is named for Dr. E. A. Mearns who collected spec-
imens at the type locality more than 20 years ago.
Specimens examined.—Ten, all from southwestern Arizona as follows :
* Mammals of the Mexican Boundary, Bui. 56, part I, U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 480, 1907.
136 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington.
Gila Mountains (near Tinajas Altas ), 3; Granite Mountains (near Tule
Wells), 1; Tinajas Altas (type locality), 4; Tule Wells, 2.
Neotoma albigula sheldoni subsp. nov.
SHELDON WOOD RAT.
T)/pe from Pinacate Mountains (Papago Tanks), Sonora, Mexico, No.
206,812, U. S. National Museum (Biological Survey Collection), collected
by Charles Sheldon 1915.,
General characters.—A dark colored form of the N. albigula group,
differing from N. a. albigula and N. a. mearnsi in the peculiar vinaceous
bufliy general tone of the upperparts.
Color.—Type (fresh pelage): Upperparts in general vinaceous-bufF,
purest on shoulders and sides, the back rather strongly darkened by black
hairs head grayish ; underparts white, the fur pure white to roots on;
throat, chest, and inguinal region, as usual in N. a. albigula ; ears and
orbital borders blackish; feet white; tail sharply bicolor, black above,
white below. In one specimen the vinaceous-bufF of sides extends across
the abdomen, but the throat and chest are white as in the others.
Skull.—
pure
About like that of N. a. albigula.
Measurements.—Type (dry skin): Total length, 334; tail vertebrte,
136; hind foot, 32.5 Skull (type): Greatest length, 44; zygomatic
breadtli, 23.1 interorbital; breadth, 5.5; length of nasals, 16.9; length
of anterior palatine foramina, 8.9; length of palatal bridge, 7.4; length
of upper molar series, 8.5.
Remarks.—In the pronounced vinaceous buffy shade of the upperparts
and more copious admixture of black, this form contrasts strikingly
with its exceedingly pallid relative, N. a. mearnsi, of the region along
the international boundary, only 40 or 50 miles away. The two forms
agree so closely in cranial details, however, that it seems best to regard
them as subspecies. The dark color of the form inhabiting the Pinacate
Mountains seems to be associated with that of its lava environment. It
is named for the hunter-naturalist, Charles Sheldon, who collected the
material which forms the basis of this description, and through whose
interest and generosity much has been contributed to our knowledge of
many North American mammals.
Specimens examined.
—Ten, all from the Pinacate Mountains.
Noctilio leporinus mexicanus subsp. nov.
MEXICAN BULLDOG BAT.
Type from Papayo, Guerrero, Mexico. No. 126,672, male adult, U. S.
National Museum (Biological Survey Collection), collected by E. W.
Nelson and E. A. Gold—man, April 17,
1903. Original number 16,318.
General characters. Closely resembling N. I. leporinus and N. I.
mastivus but smaller, the difference in size most noticeable in the skull.
Maxillary toothrow short.
Color.—Male (type) : About as in N. I. leporinus, the general color of
upperparts rich, dark, ochraceous-tawny (Ridgway, 1912), becoming
Goldman—Five New Mammals from Mexico and Arizona. 137
tawny on the head, with a narrow stripe of paler fur along median line
of back ; underparts between zinc orange and tawny. Female: Upper-
parts near buckthorn brown— ; underparts pale yellow
ocher.
Skull. Similar in form to those of N. I. leporinus and N. I. mastivus,
but smaller
; maxillary toothrow shorter, the teeth relatively broader,
or more extended
—transversely.Measurements. Type (dry skin) : Forearm, 83.2; tibia, 37; foot, 33.5.
An adult male topotype : 83.9; 37.1; 32.9. Two adult female topotypes :
82, 85.8; .35.5, 36.8; 32, 31. Skull (type):* Greatest length, 28.5 (26.4,
26.2); condylo-incisive length, 25.2 (24.7, 24.3); zygomatic breadth,
19.8 (18.6, 18.7); interorbital breadth, 7.4(7.1, 6.8); length of maxillary
toothrow, 10.7— (10.4, 10.1).Remarks. Specimens from various localities in South America and the
West Indies have been used for comparison, of which those from Trinidad
are assumed to represent typical N. I. leporimis,^ while a pair from Mono
Island have been taken to represent N. I. mastivus, in the absence of
material from the type locality, the neighboring island of Saint Croix.
While the exact status of N. I. leporinus and N. I. mastivus seems not
entirely clear. South American, and West Indian specimens from as far
west as Jamaica differ from the Mexican series, especially in larger size.
The males in forms of N. leporinus are larger than the females. Occa-
sional females, in the Mexican form, at least, may, however, have fore-
arms about as long as males of— greater general dimensions.Specimens examined. Nine, all from the type locality.
* Measurements of two adult female topotypes in parentheses.
f Type locality, Surinam (see Thomas. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, p. 131, March, 1911).