Oryzomys russatus (Wagner 1848)

[Oryzomys] russatus (Wagner 1848), Abh. Math.-Phys. Classe K. B. Akad. Wiss. (Munchen), 5: 312.

Type Locality: Brazil, São Paulo State, Ipanema.

Vernacular Names: Russet Oryzomys.

Synonyms: Oryzomys coronatus (Winge 1887); Oryzomys intermedia (Leche 1886); Oryzomys kelloggi Avila-Pires 1959; Oryzomys moojeni Avila-Pires 1959; Oryzomys physodes (Brants 1827) .

Distribution: E Paraguay, SE Brazil (Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul), and NE Argentina (as per Massoia, 1975; Musser et al., 1998).

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc) as O. intermedius and O. kelloggi .

Discussion: The oldest available name for the form conventionally identified in the literature as intermedius, either used as a subspecies of O. capito (= O. megacephalus) (Cabrera, 1961) or as a distinct species (Gardner and Patton, 1976; Moojen, 1952; Musser and Carleton, 1993). Nomenclatural priority of russatus Wagner, lectotype designation, morphological definition, and distribution presented by Musser et al. (1998). A member of the O. nitidus group sensu Musser et al. (1998); most closely related to O. emmonsae and ­ O. macconnelli based on evaluations of cytochrome b sequence data (Bonvicino and Martin Moreira, 2001; Patton et al., 2000). Extensive karyotypic variation advises that other species remain to be identified among the populations referred to russatus (see Silva et al., 2000).