Paramelomys rubex (Thomas 1922)

[Melomys] rubex Thomas 1922, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 9, 9: 263.

Type Locality: New Guinea, Prov. of Papua (= Irian Jaya), Mamberano River, Doormanpad-bivak, 1410 m.

Vernacular Names: Mountain Paramelomys.

Synonyms: Paramelomys alleni (Rümmler 1935); Paramelomys arfakiensis (Rümmler 1935); Paramelomys clarus (Rümmler 1935); Paramelomys pohlei (Rümmler 1935); Paramelomys rutilus (Rümmler 1935); Paramelomys shawi (Tate and Archbold 1935); Paramelomys stresemanni (Rümmler 1935); Paramelomys tafa (Tate and Archbold 1935) .

Distribution: New Guinea; montane forests in the Central Cordillera from the Arfak Mtns on the Vogelkop of W Prov. of Papua (= Irian Jaya) to Mt Dayman at the end of the Owen Stanley Range in E Papua New Guinea; also in the N coastal Torricelli Mtns and Huon Peninsula; altitudinal range, 900-3000 m (specimens we examined; Menzies, 1996; see map in Flannery, 1995 a).

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc) as Melomys rubex .

Discussion: The many names applied to P. rubex reflect morphological variation among samples that is concordant with interrupted highland distributions (Menzies, 1996, and our study of specimens in various museums). Menzies (1996) revised the species and earlier (Menzies, 1974) commented on the status of some names associated with P. rubex .