| Marmosops pakaraimae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Didelphimorphia |
| Family: | Didelphidae |
| Genus: | Marmosops |
| Species: | M. pakaraimae |
| Binomial name | |
| Marmosops pakaraimae Voss, Lim, Díaz-Nieto & Jansa, 2013 | |
Marmosops pakaraimae is a species of opossum within the genus Marmosops.
Marmosops pakaraimae is known from five localities, with three in the Pakaraima Highlands of western Guyana and two in adjacent highlands of eastern Venezuela. Recorded elevations at these localities range from 800 to approximately 1500 m above sea level. [2]
Marmosops pakaraimae is one of only seven mammalian species known to be endemic to the Pantepui region. While the endemic flora and avian fauna of this area have been relatively well-studied, mammalian endemism remains limited. Prior to the description of Marmosops pakaraimae, the only didelphid marsupials known to be restricted to the region were Marmosa tyleriana and Monodelphis reigi . [2]
Marmosops pakaraimae is a small species within the genus Marmosops, exhibiting all diagnostic qualitative traits typical of the genus. The body pelage is dark brown (near dark umber) dorsally, with indistinctly paler lateral coloration and a superficially whitish ventral side. The hairs of the throat, chest, and abdomen are uniformly gray-based, with self-white fur limited to the apex of the chin, oral margins, and scrotum. [2]
Marmosops pakaraimae's long tail is substantially longer than the combined length of the head and body (mean LT/HBL × 100 = 150%). It possesses long nasal bones that are wider posteriorly than anteriorly, a very broad interorbital region, and rounded supraorbital margins. The species also features unique dental characteristics, including short upper canines with both anterior and posterior accessory cusps, as well as specific traits in the lower molars. [2]
Marmosops pakaraimae averages larger than Marmosops parvidens in all measured external dimensions except ear length, with notable differences in dorsal and ventral pelage coloration. The species is also larger than Marmosopspinheiroi, with comparable differences in coloration and morphology, particularly in cranial measurements and dental characteristics. [2]
The Omilteme cottontail is a cottontail rabbit found only in the state of Guerrero, Mexico in the mountain range of Sierra Madre del Sur. Belonging to the family Leporidae, it is one of fourteen species in the genus Sylvilagus, a genus restricted to the New World. The Omilteme cottontail is considered one of the most endangered rabbit species in the world and is only known and been described by very few specimens.
The checkered keelback, also known commonly as the Asiatic water snake, is a common species in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia. It is non-venomous.
Huabeisaurus was a genus of dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous. It was a sauropod which lived in what is present-day northern China. The type species, Huabeisaurus allocotus, was first described by Pang Qiqing and Cheng Zhengwu in 2000. Huabeisaurus is known from numerous remains found in the 1990s, which include teeth, partial limbs and vertebrae. Due to its relative completeness, Huabeisaurus represents a significant taxon for understanding sauropod evolution in Asia. Huabeisaurus comes from Kangdailiang and Houyu, Zhaojiagou Town, Tianzhen County, Shanxi province, China. The holotype was found in the unnamed upper member of the Huiquanpu Formation, which is Late Cretaceous (?Cenomanian–?Campanian) in age based on ostracods, charophytes, and fission-track dating.
Marmosops is a genus of Neotropical opossums of the family Didelphidae. The genus was originally treated as a subgenus from the genus Marmosa rather than having their own classification. This was changed in 1989 by Gardner and Crieghton, who officially separated the group and made them their own genus. The mix-up between to genera Marmosa and Marmosops was common due to the similar appearances including size and other external features. However, the two groups differ significantly in their integument and in the arrangement of their skull and dentition. The dentition is similar in morphology between the two groups, with the exception of the deciduous lower third premolar varying from one genus to the next. The similarity between the two continues to cause the genus Marmosops to be frequently misidentified due to the lack of knowledge regarding the species along with the overlooked traits that help separate them from other opossums. The Marmosops are also commonly confused with the genus Gracilinanus, but this is quickly ruled out by a large number of differing characteristics. These differences include the arrangement of their digits, caudal scales, and the central hair on the scales changing from a three hairs per follicle to many more. This causes the hair of the Gracilinanus to be thicker and has also found to be heavily pigmented. The last group commonly confused with Marmosops is known as the genus Thylamys. These animals have a contrasting dorsal body pelage and the taxa are actually quite different.
Oreophrynella weiassipuensis is a species of toads in the family Bufonidae. It is only known from Wei-Assipu-tepui, a tepui on the border between Brazil and Guyana. The holotype was collected in 2000 by a speleological expedition to Wei-Assipu-tepui. No other specimens are known. It is possible that it is present in other localities, but most species of Oreophrynella are endemic to a single mountain.
Oreophryne notata is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and known from two localities, Ialibu, its type locality in the Southern Highlands Province, and Tabubil in the Western Province. It might occur more widely. The specific name notata is from Latin nota meaning a "mark" or "letter" and refers to the diagnostic U-like pattern on the lores.
Jones's roundleaf bat is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is endemic to southern West Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, rocky areas, and caves and other subterranean habitats.
The Ethiopian hare is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. It was first described in 1903, by the British mammalogist Oldfield Thomas. The dorsal pelage is brownish buff, and is finely grizzled with black. The ventral pelage is fluffy and white in colour. Endemic to Ethiopia, it is found in the Afromontane Biozone of Ethiopia, and in the borders of the Sudanian Savanna Biozone. It is rated as a least concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Cherax parvus is a species of crayfish in the family Parastacidae. It is only known from its type locality – the Upper Tully River catchment in the Cardwell Range of north-eastern Queensland – and is listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List. It was discovered in a rainforest catchment in a highland of northeastern Queensland during a Queensland Museum expedition to the upper Tully River area in November 1992. It is one of the smallest species in the genus. No species of Cherax has been considered endemic to wet upland or highland areas before it was discovered; most previous records were from elevations less than 400 meters. It also has several morphological features unique to the genus, and does not appear closely related to any extant species, suggesting a long period of geographic isolation.
Stanocephalosaurus is an extinct genus of large-sized temnospondyls living through the early to mid Triassic. The etymology of its name most likely came from its long narrow skull when compared to other temnospondyls. Stanocephalosaurus lived an aquatic lifestyle, with some species even living in salt lakes. There are currently three recognized species and another that needs further material to establish its legitimacy. The three known species are Stanocephalosaurus pronus from the Middle Triassic in Tanzania, Stanocephalosaurus amenasensis from the Lower Triassic in Algeria, and Stanocephalosaurus birdi, from the middle Triassic in Arizona. Stanocephalosaurus rajareddyi from the Middle Triassic in central India needs further evidence in order to establish its relationship among other Stanocephalosaurs. Like other temnospondyls, Stanocephalosaurus was an aquatic carnivore. Evidence of multiple species discovered in a wide range of localities proves that Stanocephalosaurus were present all across Pangea throughout the early to mid Triassic.
Diaphoromyrma is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae. It contains the single species Diaphoromyrma sofiae, known only from workers from the type locality in Bahia, Brazil. The genus is apparently close to Allomerus and Diplomorium in the Solenopsidini, but its tribal attribution remains uncertain.
Atacamatitan is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Tolar Formation of Chile.
Eremiasaurus is a genus of mosasaurs, an extinct group of marine reptiles. It lived during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous in what is now North Africa. Only one species is known, E. heterodontus, described in 2012 from two remarkably complete fossil specimens discovered in the Ouled Abdoun Basin, Morocco. This site is known to have delivered a significant number of other related mosasaurs.
The pita skate is a medium-sized skate in the family Rajidae. The holotype and only known specimen was found in the northern Persian Gulf, in Iraqi waters. It was collected at a depth of less than 15 m (49 ft).
Europelta is a monospecific genus of nodosaurid dinosaur from Spain that lived during the Early Cretaceous in what is now the lower Escucha Formation of the Teruel Province. The type and only species, Europelta carbonensis, is known from two associated partial skeletons, and represents the most complete ankylosaur known from Europe. Europelta was named in 2013 by James I. Kirkland and colleagues. Europelta has an estimated length of 5 metres and weight of 1.3 tonnes, making it the largest member of the clade Struthiosaurini.
The eastern spotted gummy shark is a species of houndshark in the family Triakidae, found in Australian waters. It is a relatively large species.
Scutarx is an extinct genus of Aetosauriformes, most commonly regarded by its species name Scutarx deltatylus. Scutarx lived around 230 million years ago during the Carnian and Norian stage of the Late Triassic. Scutarx are “medium sized” paramedian osteoderms belonging to the clade Aetosauria, a heavily armored and more herbivorous cousin of crocodiles.
Arisierpeton is an extinct genus of synapsids from the Early Permian Garber Formation of Richards Spur, Oklahoma. It contains a single species, Arisierpeton simplex.
Gracixalus seesom, also known as the orange bush frog or orange bushfrog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to northwestern Thailand and is known from the Kanchanaburi and Chiang Mai Provinces.
Venkatasuchus is an extinct genus of aetosaur from the Late Triassic Dharmaram Formation of India. It was described in 2023 on the basis of a series of associated osteoderms that formed the paramedian and lateral armour. Based on the osteoderms the carapace of Venkatasuchus was disc-shaped and very wide, with curved, horn-like elements along its sides. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Venkatasuchus belonged to the subfamily Typothoracinae and more specifically the clade Paratypothoracini, where it is recovered as the sister taxon to Kocurypelta. Venkatasuchus is among the few aetosaurs recovered from the region that would later become Gondwana and lends credence to the idea that late Triassic India represented a connective hub between Laurasian and Gondwanan fauna. The genus is monotypic, meaning it only includes a single species, Venkatasuchus armatum.
