Ecogeographic variation and taxonomic boundaries in Large Treeshrews (Scandentia, Tupaiidae: Tupaia tana Raffles, 1821) from Southeast Asia
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Abstract
The Large Treeshrew, Tupaia tana Raffles, 1821, is a small mammal (~205 g) from Southeast Asia with a complicated taxonomic history. Currently, 15 subspecies are recognized from Borneo, Sumatra, and smaller islands, and many were originally differentiated based on minor pelage differences and small sample sizes. We explored intraspecific variation in T. tana using quantitative osteological data obtained from the hands and skulls of museum specimens. Multivariate analyses reveal extensive overlap among T. tana populations in morphospace, indicating that the majority of currently recognized subspecies are not morphometrically distinct. In contrast, the separation between Bornean and Sumatran populations of T. tana is sufficient to recognize them as different subspecies. Comparisons of Bornean specimens to those on small, offshore islands reveal that the latter average smaller body size. This pattern is inconsistent with Foster’s island rule, which predicts that island populations of small mammals (< 5 kg) will average larger body size relative to mainland forms. A similar lack of support for ecogeographic rules has been noted in T. glis (Diard, 1820), suggesting that these “rules” are poor predictors of geographic variation in treeshrews.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Ecogeographic variation and taxonomic boundaries in Large Treeshrews (Scandentia, Tupaiidae: Tupaia tana Raffles, 1821) from Southeast Asia |
| Series title | Journal of Mammalogy |
| DOI | 10.1093/jmammal/gyab059 |
| Volume | 102 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Year Published | 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Contributing office(s) | Eastern Ecological Science Center |
| Description | 13 p. |
| First page | 1054 |
| Last page | 1066 |
| Other Geospatial | Southeast Asia |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |