Rhipidomys Tschudi, 1844 . Arch. Naturgesch., 10, 1:252.

TYPE SPECIES: Hesperomys leucodactylus Tschudi, 1844 .

COMMENTS: Thomasomyine. No critical synopsis of valid species exists apart from the original descriptions. Compared to the overly lumped classification of Cabrera (1961), Handley's (1976) regional listing reveals the greater species diversity within the genus, but how these Venezuelan forms relate to Rhipidomys populations inhabiting other parts of the Andes and Amazonia remains unknown. The following enumeration must be regarded as highly provisional and attempts to amalgamate the differing viewpoints of Cabrera (1961), Gyldenstolpe (1932), and Handley (1976). Species distributions are in general poorly documented. Preliminary karyotypic surveys provided by Gardner and Patton (1976) and Zanchin et al. (1992a).