Xenomys Merriam 1892

Xenomys Merriam 1892, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 7: 160.

Type Species: Xenomys nelsoni Merriam 1892

Species and subspecies: 1 species:

Species Xenomys nelsoni Merriam 1892

Discussion: Neotomini. Retained as a genus since its description. Among woodrats believed to share common ancestry with Hodomys (Carleton, 1980); banded karyotype reported by Haiduk et al. (1988), who noted its resemblance to those of Onychomys and Peromyscus; restriction-site analyses of mitochrondrial DNA portrayed Xenomys and Ototylomys as a clade basal to nine Neotoma species studied, including N. cinerea (subgenus Teonoma) and N. phenax (subgenus Teanopus) (Planz et al., 1996). Sister-group kinship with Hodomys and generic rank reaffirmed based on broad molecular survey (cytochrome b) of Neotoma species, including N. (Teonoma) cinerea (Edwards and Bradley, 2002 b) .