Fernandina Island Galapagos Mouse
Encyclopedia
Nesoryzomys indefessus narboroughi is a subspecies
of Nesoryzomys indefessus, a rodent
in the genus Nesoryzomys
, from Fernandina Island
in the Galápagos Islands
. The only other subspecies occurred on Indefatigable Island, but is now extinct. Some consider the two to be distinct species
, in which case the Fernandina form would be Nesoryzomys narboroughi. Another, larger, Nesoryzomys is also found on Fernandina—Nesoryzomys fernandinae.
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of Nesoryzomys indefessus, a rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
in the genus Nesoryzomys
Nesoryzomys
Nesoryzomys is a genus of rodent in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae, endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Other rodents restricted to the Galápagos include Megaoryzomys curioi and Aegialomys galapagoensis.-References:...
, from Fernandina Island
Fernandina Island
Fernandina Island is the third largest, and youngest, island of the Galápagos Islands. Like the others, the island was formed by the Galápagos hotspot...
in the Galápagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
. The only other subspecies occurred on Indefatigable Island, but is now extinct. Some consider the two to be distinct species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, in which case the Fernandina form would be Nesoryzomys narboroughi. Another, larger, Nesoryzomys is also found on Fernandina—Nesoryzomys fernandinae.
Literature cited
- Musser, G.G. and Carleton, M.D. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894–1531 in Wilson, D.E. and Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd ed. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols., 2142 pp. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0
- Tirira, D., Dowler, R., Boada, C. and Weksler, M. 2008. . In IUCN. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on November 29, 2009.