Morphometric assessment of the Monodelphis brevicaudata group (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) in Venezuela

Abstract

We reviewed the systematics of the Monodelphis brevicaudata species group in Venezuela using morphometric analyses. Results revealed that M. b. orinoci showed significant differences when compared to the other two Venezuelan forms of M. brevicaudata (brevicaudata and palliolata) and supported recognizing M. orinoci as a species. We find M. brevicaudata represented in Venezuela by two subspecies: M. b. brevicaudata, distributed south of the Orinoco River, and M. b. palliolata, found in northern Venezuela. M. orinoci is a small sexually monomorphic species, inhabiting lowland savanna. M. brevicaudata is a large sexually dimorphic species that occurs in forest habitats ranging up to elevations of 1,500 m above mean sea level.