Lorentzimys Jentink 1911

Lorentzimys Jentink 1911, Nova Guinea, 9: 166.

Type Species: Lorentzimys nouhuysi Jentink 1911

Species and subspecies: 1 species:

Species Lorentzimys nouhuysi Jentink 1911

Discussion: Lorentzimys Division. Member of the New Guinea Old Endemics (Musser, 1981 c). Past estimates of cladistic affinities ranged from enigmatic (Misonne, 1969) to alliance with either Leggadina (Simpson, 1961) or Haeromys (Ellerman, 1941) . Analyses of phallic traits (Lidicker and Brylski, 1987) indicated that Lorentzimys and Leptomys are related, a hypothesis also supported by molar occlusal patterns and a shared derived cephalic arterial configuration (Musser’s study of material in AMNH). Analysis of immunological distances by Watts and Baverstock (1994 a, 1996), however, isolated Lorentzimys in its own clade to the exclusion of the other New Guinea and Australian genera sampled, which included Leggadina and Leptomys . Lorentizimys remains a New Guinea endemic whose closest phylogenetic alliance has yet to be uncovered.