Haeromys minahassae (Thomas 1896)

[Mus] minahassae Thomas 1896, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, 18: 247.

Type Locality: Indonesia, Sulawesi, NE tip of N peninsula, Minahassa region, Rurukan (01E21'N/124E52'E), 1000 ft (305 m).

Vernacular Names: Lowland Sulawesi Haeromys.

Distribution: Sulawesi; recorded only from tropical lowland evergreen rain forest at the NE tip of the N peninsula and central core between 75 and 1000 m (Musser, 1990; Musser, ms).

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: External, cranial, and dental features distinguish H. minahassae and an undescribed Sulawesian species from those on Borneo and Palawan (Musser, ms). Karyotype is primitive (2n = 48, FN = 54) consisting of two pairs of metacentrics and the rest telocentrics (Musser, 1990); spermatozoal morphology is distinctive (Breed and Musser, 1991). Of the two species of Haeromys endemic to Sulawesi, an undescribed form occupies montane forest formations and its close relative H. minahassae occurs at lower altitudes in lowland evergreen rain forest; the two are also distinguished by pelage coloration and cranial traits (Musser, ms).