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Show 1024 MR. OLDFIELD THOMA.S ON THE [Dee. 15, E. HYSTRICOMORPHA. XII. Pedetidae1. 119. Pedetes, 111. Prodr. Syst. Mamm. p. 81 (1811). XIII. Octodontidas. A. CTENODACTVLIN.E. 120. Ctenodactylus, Gray. Spic. Zool. p. 10 (1830). 121. Massoutiera, Lat. Le Nat. 1885, p. 21. 122. Pectlnator, Bly. J. A. S. B. xxiv. p. 294 (1855). 123. Petromys, A. Sm. S. Afr. Q. J. ii. p. 2 (1831). B. OCTODONTIN^S. 124. Ctenomys, De Blainv. Bull. Soc. Philom. 1826, p. 62. 125. Aconaemys, Amegh. Revist. Argent, i. p. 245 (1891). [Schl-zodon, Waterh. P. Z. S. 1841, p. 91, nee Agass.] 126. Spalacopus, Wagl. Isis, 1832, p. 1219. 127. Octodon, Benn. P. Z. S. 1832, p. 46. 128. Abrocoma, Waterh. P. Z. S. 1837, p. 30. C. LONCHERINJE. (a) 129. Dactylomys, Is. Geoff. Arm. Sci. Nat. (2) x. p. 126 (1838). 130. Thrlnacodus, Giinth. P. Z. S. 1879, p. 144. 1 While many naturalists have noticed the Hystricomorph affinities of Pedetes, no one in modern times (except Dobson, w ho transferred the whole of the Dipodidae) seems to have thought of actually placing it among them. To m e this appears to be clearly the proper course, as there seems to be scarcely a character in its skull or teeth which is not found in one member or another of that group. Even its lower jaw is of a partially Hystricine type, and in any case is not of sufficient importance to outweigh its many affinities to the Hystricomorpha. Wiegmann in 1832 placed it among his " Lagostomi" (Handb. Zool. p. 56), but that was apparently rather by accident than good judgment, as bis general classification is of a very antique type. All other authors seem to have kept it in the Dipodida?, until Winge, in his general alteration of positions, placed it with Anomalurus, an allocation with which I feel quite unable to agree. Within the Hystricomorpha it is difficult to say where Pedetes would best be placed. Its skull is very like that of Thryonomys, its teeth like those of Spalacopus, while it has also some resemblances to the Chinchillidae. For the present, therefore, until further researches are made, I have put it at the beginning of the group, where it will occupy the same serial position as in Alstun's paper, although shifted into a different section. |
