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In 2000, 2002, and 2006 we captured small mammals in the Liangshan Mountains, Mabian Dafengding National Nature Reserve and Meigu Dafengding National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China. Among the collected specimens we identified a new species of the genus Proedromys. Its identifying characteristics are its relatively long tail, broad upper incisors without grooves, comparatively short lower incisors, and features of the molar teeth. The glans penis of the new species also is distinctive, the proximal and distal bacula are bony, whereas the lateral bacula are only slightly ossified. The proximal baculum is flask-shaped, the distal baculum is cap-shaped, and the lateral bacula are stick-shaped. This species is associated with high-elevation spruce-fir forest habitat, an unusual setting for Proedromys across its geographic range.
Key words: Arvicolinae, China, Microtus, Proedromys, Sichuan
In April 2000, autumn 2002, and spring 2006 small mammals were censused in the Liangshan Mountains, Mabian Dafengding Nature Reserve, and Meigu Dafengding Nature Reserve, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. Before our investigation the only arvicoline known from the region belonged to the genus Eothenomys. Two other vole species, the Sichuan vole (Volemys millicens) and Marie's vole (V. musseri) occur just to the north of Liangshan Mountain in the Qionglai Mountains. Both of these small mountain areas are a part of the Hengduan Mountains, a major mountainous region in western Sichuan and eastern Xizang. Eighteen specimens that we obtained could not be assigned to known species and were tentatively identified as representing a new species in the arvicoline genus Proedromys.
Proedromys was established by Thomas (1911) to include a single species, P. bedfordi. This genus is distinguished from other arvicolines by its heavily built skull; upper incisors that are broad; lower incisors that are remarkably short, scarcely penetrating into the condylar process of the mandible; molars that are rootless, high-crowned, and broad; and a 3rd lower molar that lacks an outer angle on the anterior triangle (Alien 1940; Shaoying et al. 2005; Thomas 1911). In contrast, other genera of arvicolines have comparatively narrow upper incisors, much longer lower incisors that usually extend to the angular process, and 3rd lower molars that have an outer angle on the anterior triangle.
Proedromys has been included in Microtus by Ellerman and Morrison-Scott (1951), Corbel (1978), Corbel and Hill...