Melomys aerosus (Thomas 1920)

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Muridae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 1189-1531 : 1374

Melomys aerosus (Thomas 1920)

[Uromys] aerosus Thomas 1920 , Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 9, 6: 428.

Type Locality: Indonesia, Pulau Seram, Mt Manusela, 6000 ft (1830 m).

Vernacular Names: Dusky Seram Melomys.

Distribution: Endemic to Seram Isl, 1200-1830 m.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (nt).

Discussion: Tate (1951:292) suggested a relationship between M. aerosus and the New Guinea M. levipes group, but cranial morphology indicates M. aerosus to be more closely related to Australian species of Melomys , especially M. cervinipes , than to the endemic Melomys of New Guinea (Musser’s study of specimens in BMNH). Menzies (1996:418) noted that M. aerosus "has the long incisive foramina characteristic of the cervinipes division of Melomys " but "does not fit comfortably in any group" Reviewed by Flannery (1995 a) and Helgen (2003 b).