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Long-nosed Caenolestid
The long-nosed caenolestid (''Rhyncholestes raphanurus''), also known as the Chilean shrew opossum or long-nosed shrew opossum, is a shrew opossum that occurs in temperate forests of Argentina and southern Chile. It was first described by American zoologist Wilfred Hudson Osgood in 1924. The long-nosed caenolestid resembles '' Caenolestes'' species in morphology. It is characterized by a long, pointed snout, small eyes and ears, and one claw on a digit of each of the thin limbs. Little is known of its behavior; it appears to be terrestrial (lives on land), nocturnal (active mainly at night) and omnivorous. It prefers cool, moist areas, and has a small distribution. It is classified as near threatened by the IUCN. Taxonomy and etymology The long-nosed caenolestid is the sole member of its genus, and is classified in the family Caenolestidae. It was first described by American zoologist Wilfred Hudson Osgood in 1924. Two subspecies are recognised: *''R. r. continentalis'' Bub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wilfred Hudson Osgood
Wilfred Hudson Osgood (December 8, 1875 – June 20, 1947) was an American zoologist. Biography Osgood was born in Rochester, New Hampshire, the oldest child of a family of watchmakers. The family moved to California in 1888 and he went to study in Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara and San Jose, California, San Jose. He joined in the activities of the Cooper Ornithological Club and found company in wikisource:Author:Chester Barlow, Chester Barlow and Rollo Beck, Rollo H. Beck. He taught at a school in Arizona for a year and then moved to the newly formed Stanford University, where he came to meet Charles Henry Gilbert, Charles H. Gilbert and David Starr Jordan. He joined the staff of the Bureau of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy, of the United States Department of Agriculture at the age of 22. This group later became the Bureau of Biological Survey under Clinton Hart Merriam. In 1909 he moved to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, where he was assistant curator o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island ( es, Isla de Chiloé, , ) also known as Greater Island of Chiloé (''Isla Grande de Chiloé''), is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the west coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean. The island is located in southern Chile, in the Los Lagos Region. Of roughly rectangular shape, the southwestern half of the island is a wilderness of contiguous forests and swamps. Mountains in the island form a belt running from the northwestern to the southeastern corner of the island. Cordillera del Piuchén make up the northern mountains and the more subdued Cordillera de Pirulil gathers the southern mountains. The landscape of the northeastern sectors of Chiloé Island is dominated by rolling hills with a mosaic of pastures, forests and cultivated fields. While the western shores are rocky and relatively straight, the eastern and northern shores contain many inlets, bays and peninsulas, and it is here where all towns and cities lie. Geographically, the bulk of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eastern Caenolestid
The eastern caenolestid (''Caenolestes sangay'') is a shrew opossum found on the eastern slopes of the Andes in southern Ecuador. Etymology The origin of the genus name (''Caenolestes'') drives from the Greek words ''kainos'' ("new") and ''lestes'' ("robber", "pirate"). The origin of the species name (''sangay'') derives from Sangay National Park, which is the largest Andean national park in Ecuador. The park itself is named after a volcano called Sangay, one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes that lies within the park. Sangay National Park was the site of the discovery of the eastern caenolestid in 2010. Taxonomy The eastern caenolestid is one of the five members of ''Caenolestes'', and is placed in the family Caenolestidae (shrew opossums). In the latter part of 20th century, scientists believed that ''Caenolestes'' is closely related to ''Lestoros'' (the Incan caenolestid). Over the years, it became clear that ''Lestoros'' is morphologically different from ''Caenolestes''. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gray-bellied Caenolestid
The gray-bellied caenolestid (''Caenolestes caniventer''), or grey-bellied shrew opossum, is a shrew opossum found in humid, temperate forests and moist grasslands of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It was first described by American zoologist Harold Elmer Anthony in 1921. Little is known about the behavior of the gray-bellied caenolestid. It appears to be terrestrial (land-living) and crepuscular (active around twilight) or nocturnal (active at night). Diet consists of invertebrate larvae, small vertebrates and plant material. The IUCN classifies the gray-bellied caenolestid as near threatened. Taxonomy and etymology The gray-bellied caenolestid is one of the five members of ''Caenolestes'', and is placed in the family Caenolestidae (shrew opossums). It was first described by American zoologist Harold Elmer Anthony in 1921. In the latter part of 20th century, scientists believed that ''Caenolestes'' is closely related to ''Lestoros'' (the Incan caenolestid). Over the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andean Caenolestid
The Andean caenolestid (''Caenolestes condorensis''), also known as the Andean shrew opossum or Condor caenolestid, is a shrew opossum known only from Cordillera del Cóndor (Ecuador), its type locality. It was first described by zoologists Bruce D. Patterson and Albuja V. Luis in 1996. It is the largest caenolestid. The IUCN classifies it as vulnerable. As of 2015, the population is estimated at less than 1,000. Taxonomy and etymology The Andean caenolestid is one of the five members of ''Caenolestes'', and is placed in the family Caenolestidae (shrew opossums). It was first described by zoologists Bruce D. Patterson (of the Field Museum of Natural History) and Albuja V. Luis (of the National Polytechnic School) in 1996 from an adult male specimen captured from Cordillera del Cóndor (Ecuador). They procured a total of three specimens. In the latter part of 20th century, scientists believed that ''Caenolestes'' is closely related to ''Lestoros'' (the Incan caenolestid). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Caenolestid
The northern caenolestid (''Caenolestes convelatus''), also known as the blackish shrew opossum, is a shrew opossum found in Colombia and Ecuador. It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Taxonomy and etymology The northern caenolestid is one of the five members of '' Caenolestes'', and is placed in the family Caenolestidae (shrew opossums). It was first described by American zoologist Harold Elmer Anthony in 1924. In the latter part of 20th century, scientists believed that ''Caenolestes'' is closely related to ''Lestoros'' (the Incan caenolestid). Over the years, it became clear that ''Lestoros'' is morphologically different from ''Caenolestes''. A 2013 morphological and mitochondrial DNA-based phylogenetic study showed that the Incan caenolestid and the long-nosed caenolestid (''Rhyncholestes raphanurus'') form a clade sister to ''Caenolestes''. The cladogram below is based on this study. Two subspecies are recognized: *''C. c. barbarensis'' H. E. Anthony, 1924: Occu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brown Four-eyed Opossum
The brown four-eyed opossum (''Metachirus nudicaudatus'') is a pouch (marsupial), pouchless marsupial of the family Didelphidae. It is found in different forested habitats of Central America, Central and South America, from Nicaragua to Brazil and northern Argentina, including southeastern Colombia, Paraguay and eastern Peru and Bolivia, at elevations from sea level to 1500 m. It is the only recognized species in the genus ''Metachirus'', but molecular phylogenetics studies suggest that it should probably be split into several species. Population densities are usually low, and it is uncommon in parts of Central America. A density of 25.6/km2 was reported near Manaus, Brazil. Its karyotype has Ploidy#Diploid, 2n = 14 and Karyotype#Fundamental number, FN = 24. It is a nocturnal, solitary, strongly terrestrial and omnivorous animal, feeding on fruits, small vertebrates and invertebrates. The brown four-eyed opossum builds nests made of leaves and twigs in tree branches or under rock ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gray Short-tailed Opossum
The gray short-tailed opossum (''Monodelphis domestica'') is a small South American member of the family Didelphidae. Unlike most other marsupials, the gray short-tailed opossum does not have a true pouch. The scientific name ''Monodelphis'' is derived from Greek and means "single womb" (referring to the lack of a pouch) and the Latin word ''domestica'' which means "domestic" (chosen because of the species' habit of entering human dwellings). It was the first marsupial to have its genome sequenced. The gray short-tailed opossum is used as a research model in science, and is also frequently found in the exotic pet trade. It is also known as the Brazilian opossum, rainforest opossum and in a research setting the laboratory opossum. Description Gray short-tailed opossums are relatively small animals, with a superficial resemblance to voles. In the wild they have head-body length of and weigh ; males are larger than females. However, individuals kept in captivity are typically mu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sister Taxon
In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and taxon B are sister groups to each other. Taxa A and B, together with any other extant or extinct descendants of their most recent common ancestor (MRCA), form a monophyletic group, the clade AB. Clade AB and taxon C are also sister groups. Taxa A, B, and C, together with all other descendants of their MRCA form the clade ABC. The whole clade ABC is itself a subtree of a larger tree which offers yet more sister group relationships, both among the leaves and among larger, more deeply rooted clades. The tree structure shown connects through its root to the rest of the universal tree of life. In cladistic standards, taxa A, B, and C may represent specimens, species, genera, or any other taxonomic units. If A and B are at the same taxonomi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clade
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, the equivalent Latin term ''cladus'' (plural ''cladi'') is often used in taxonomical literature. The common ancestor may be an individual, a population, or a species (extinct or extant). Clades are nested, one in another, as each branch in turn splits into smaller branches. These splits reflect evolutionary history as populations diverged and evolved independently. Clades are termed monophyletic (Greek: "one clan") groups. Over the last few decades, the cladistic approach has revolutionized biological classification and revealed surprising evolutionary relationships among organisms. Increasingly, taxonomists try to avoid naming taxa that are not clades; that is, taxa that are not monophyletic. Some of the relationships between organisms ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Incan Caenolestid
The Incan caenolestid (''Lestoros inca''), also known as the Incan shrew opossum or Peruvian caenolestid, is a caenolestid found in the southern Peruvian Andes. It was first described by English zoologist Oldfield Thomas in 1917. The head-and-body length ranges from , and the weight is between . It is brown on the back, and lighter on the underside. Little is known about the behaviour of the Incan caenolestid; it appears to be terrestrial and nocturnal. It feeds on small invertebrates and insects. This caenolestid inhabits elfin and secondary forests. The IUCN classifies it as least concern. Taxonomy The Incan caenolestid is the sole member of its genus, ''Lestoros'', and is placed in the family Caenolestidae (shrew opossums). It was first described by English zoologist Oldfield Thomas as ''Orolestes inca'' in 1917. In 1934, the shrew opossum was given its present binomial name. Caenolestid fossils date to as early as the early Eocene (nearly 55 mya). In the latter part of 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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