Reithrodon Waterhouse 1837

Reithrodon Waterhouse 1837, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1837: 29.

Type Species: Reithrodon typicus Waterhouse 1837

Synonyms: Proreithrodon Ameghino 1889; Ptyssophorus Ameghino 1889; Tretomys Ameghino 1889 .

Species and subspecies: 2 species:

Species Reithrodon auritus (G. Fischer 1814)

Species Reithrodon typicus Waterhouse 1837

Discussion: Reithrodontini. Classically arranged by Hershkovitz (1955 a) with sigmodont rodents, but a compelling body of morphological evidence points to its general kinship with phyllotines (Braun, 1993; Olds and Anderson, 1989; Ortiz et al., 2000 b; Pardiñas, 1997; Pardiñas and Galliari, 2001; Pearson and Patton, 1976; Steppan, 1993, 1995). In their rediagnosis of Phyllotini, Olds and Anderson (1989) had identified a morphologically well-defined complex that they designated the " Reithrodon Group," comprised of Euneomys, Neotomys, and Reithrodon . Such an assemblage, along with certain extinct genera, has consistently appeared in phylogenetic studies based on morphological characters (Ortiz et al., 2000 b; Pardiñas, 1997; Steppan, 1993, 1995; Steppan and Sullivan, 2000). Cladistic interpretations of mitochondrial genes, however, dispute tribal alignment of Reithrodon with phyllotines, or with Sigmodon, and inconsistently represent its phyletic affinity (D’Elía et al., 2003; Engel et al., 1998; Smith and Patton, 1999); samples of Euneomys and Neotomys were not represented in these studies. Whether inclusion of the latter genera will bring the " Reithrodon Group" back within Phyllotini sensu lato (i.e., a subtribe Reithrodontina as per Steppan, 1995), or whether the phyletic remoteness of Reithrodon and kin will be sustained invites further investigation. Vorontsov (1959) had previously recognized a formal tribal separation of Reithrodon from Phyllotini; availability of the family-group name issues from his action. Attribution of fossil genera described by Ameghino (1889) follows Pardiñas (2000 a).