Murine rodents (Rodentia: Murinae) of the Myanmar-Thai-Malaysian peninsula and Singapore: taxonomy, distribution, ecology, conservation status, and illustrated identification keys

摘要

Based on field surveys undertaken between 2010 and 2013, museum studies in Thailand and the UK, and an extensive literature review, this paper provides information on the 28 species and 12 genera of murine rodents currently known from peninsular Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia and Singapore. It incorporates a detailed summary of past research, 1851-2013, of the Murinae in the study area and includes descriptive characters of the external, cranial and dental morphology and measurements for each of therodent species. It lists and maps the 93 murine taxa described from the peninsula, 84 of which are currently considered to be synonyms at species level. Each of the 389 different localities on the 28 distribution maps is numbered and linked to its source, either literature or museum specimen, and listed in the online gazetteer. The global conservation status of each species is obtained from the IUCN Red List. Remarks are made, where data are available, on the ecology, karyology, fossil history, sperm morphology, phylogeny, and taxonomic history and ambiguities. Recommendations are made for further research. A series of illustrated matrix keys is provided to assist with the identification of all the murine genera and species within the study area.