Melomys fraterculus (Thomas, 1920) . Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 9, 6:428.

TYPE LOCALITY: Indonesia, Pulau Seram, Mt Manusela, 6000 ft .

DISTRIBUTION: Endemic to Seram Isl.

COMMENTS: Placed in Pogonomelomys by Riimmler (1938), kept there by Tate (1951), but returned to Melomys by Laurie and Hill (1954). Based on our study of specimens, Melomys fraterculus shares many derived cranial features with the Australian M. cervinipes complex and is probably more closely related to the indigenous Australian Melomys than to those on New Guinea.