107.

Nyalam Mountain Vole

Neodon nyalamensis

French: Campagnol du Nyalam / German: Nyalam-Felswihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Nyalam

Taxonomy. Neodon nyalamensis Liu Shaoying et al., 2016, Nyalam County, Xizang, S

Neodon nyalamensis is a recently described species of uncertain phylogenetic position within Neodon; it might be close to N. clarke. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from Nyalam (= Nielamu) County, Xizang, S China.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 98-115 mm, tail 38-50 mm, ear 11-13 mm, hindfoot 17-20 mm; weight 26-36 g. The Nyalam Mountain Vole is of average size relative to other species of Neodon. Tail is ¢.40% of head-body length. Fur is fine and long (8-10 mm), and guard hairs are absent. Ears are nearly bare and only slightly overtop pelage. Gray dorsum is shaded pale yellow, belly is black-gray but lighter than dorsum, and demarcation on flanks is faint. Tail is black-gray above and light gray-white below. There are five plantar and six palmar pads; claws are yellow-white. Hairs have blackgray bases and brown tips. Vibrissae are mainly white, rarely black, and 6-25 mm long. Females have eight mammae (two pectoral and two inguinal pairs). Glans penis is 4.2-4-5 mm long and 2-4-2-8 mm wide. Entire baculum is ossified, and its proximal bone is 2-:9-3-1 mm long. Skullis sturdy, with weak interorbital ridges and moderately bowed zygomatic arches. M, has three closed triangles; anterior triangles T4-T5 and T6-T7 are confluent. In maxilliar tooth row, first molar has four inner salient angles, and second molar has three distinct inner salient angles.

Habitat. Sparse secondary spruce (Picea, Pinaceae) forest, with trees c.6 m high and understory of bamboo 1-5 m high;soil sandy with large stones.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Holes dug by Nyalam Mountain Voles were found under rocks and among bamboo.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Liu Shaoying et al. (2017).