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Nephelomys
Skull of the holotype of Nephelomys devius, a young adult female from Boquete, Panama.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Sigmodontinae
Tribe:	Oryzomyini
Genus:	Nephelomys Weksler et al., 2006
Type species
Hesperomys albigularis Tomes, 1860
Species
Nephelomys albigularis Nephelomys auriventer Nephelomys caracolus Nephelomys childi Nephelomys devius Nephelomys keaysi Nephelomys levipes Nephelomys maculiventer Nephelomys meridensis Nephelomys moerex Nephelomys nimbosus Nephelomys pectoralis Nephelomys pirrensis Nephelomys ricardopalmai

Nephelomys is a genus of South American oryzomyine rodents found in the Andes from Bolivia to Venezuela, with a westward extension into the mountains of Costa Rica. Its generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek word nephelê "mist", referring to the cloud forest habitat of the members of the genus.

The species in this genus have historically been placed in Oryzomys, but in 2006, Brazilian zoologist Marcelo Weksler and coworkers described it as a separate genus, because it is not closely related to the type species of Oryzomys. They are most closely related to other members of clade B, including Euryoryzomys, Transandinomys, Hylaeamys, Oecomys, and Handleyomys, with some weak evidence supporting a sister-group relationship to Transandinomys. Oryzomys appears in a different part of the oryzomyine evolutionary radiation, perhaps close to Holochilus and related genera.

Nephelomys species have yellowish- to reddish-brown upperparts, and they are variable in the coloration of the underparts, with some possessing light, nearly white, fur, which is separated from the color of the upperparts by an abrupt change in color, but others having ochraceous coloring which changes more gradually from the coloring on the back. Small patches of pure white fur may also be present on the underparts in some species. The ears are small, but the tail is long, and it is bicolored to a smaller or greater extent, depending on the species. Several pads are prominently present.

Weksler and coworkers provided detailed comparisons among Euryoryzomys, Hylaeamys, Nephelomys, and Transandinomys. Among those genera, Nephelomys is unique in its short ears; in the relatively long claw on the fifth digit of the hindfoot; and in that the anterocone, the major cusp located at the front of the upper first molar, is divided into two smaller cusps. The divided anterocone appears to be a synapomorphy of the genus. Additionally, Nephelomys species are larger than those in Transandinomys and they have additional roots on the lower first molar that Transandinomys species lack.

In 1961, all current Nephelomys species were classified under the single species Oryzomys albigularis, but subsequently, the distinctiveness of various others was recognized. In 2005, seven species were listed under the O. albigularis group. When Nephelomys was described as a separate species in 2006, six former synonyms were accorded specific status, so that a total of thirteen species are now recognized as valid.

References

1. ^ Weksler et al., 2006, p. 18
2. Bangs, 1902, p. 34
3. ^ Weksler et al., 2006, p. 21
4. ^ Weksler, 2006
5. ^ Weksler et al., 2006, p. 20
6. Weksler et al., 2006, pp. 18–19
7. Weksler et al., 2006, table 3
8. Musser and Carleton, 2005, p. 1145
9. Musser and Carleton, 2005, p. 1144

Literature cited

• Bangs, O. 1902. Chiriqui Mammalia. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 39:15–52.
• Musser, G.G. and Carleton, M.D. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894–1531 in Wilson, D.E. and Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd ed. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols., 2142 pp. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0
• Weksler, M. 2006. Phylogenetic relationships of oryzomyine rodents (Muroidea: Sigmodontinae): separate and combined analyses of morphological and molecular data. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 296:1–149.
• Weksler, M., Percequillo, A.R. and Voss, R.S. 2006. Ten new genera of oryzomyine rodents (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae). American Museum Novitates 3537:1–29.

v t e Myomorpha
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia
Myomorpha †Anomalomyidae Anomalomys Anomalospalax Prospalax Dipodoidea †Aksyiromys †Banyuesminthus †Elmymys †Primisminthus †Simiacritomys Dipodidae Allactaginae Allactaga Allactodipus Pygeretmus Scarturus Cardiocraniinae Cardiocranius Salpingotulus Salpingotus Dipodinae Dipodini Dipus Eremodipus Jaculus Stylodipus Paradipodini Paradipus Euchoreutinae Euchoreutes †Simimyidae Nonomys Simimys Sminthidae †Allosminthus †Gobiosminthus †Heosminthus †Heterosminthus †Lophocricetus †Macrognathomys †Megasminthus †Miosicista †Paraminthus †Schaubemys †Shamosminthus Sicista †Sinosminthus †Tyrannomys Zapodidae Eozapus †Javazapus Napaeozapus †Pliozapus †Sinozapus †Sminthozapus Zapus Muroidea †Armintomyidae Armintomys Platacanthomyidae †Neocometes Platacanthomys Typhlomys Spalacidae Myospalacinae Eospalax Myospalax †Pliosiphneus Rhizomyinae †Brachyrhizomys Cannomys Rhizomys Tachyoryctes Spalacinae Nannospalax Spalax Eumuroida See below↓
Eumuroida Calomyscidae Calomyscus Cricetidae †Copemys †Eumys †Wilsoneumys Arvicolinae Arvicolini Arvicola †Mimomys Clethrionomyini †Allophaiomys †Altaiomys Alticola †Borsodia Caryomys Clethrionomys Craseomys Eothenomys †Pitymimomys †Prolagurus Dicrostonychini Dicrostonyx †Predicrostonyx Ellobiusini Bramus Ellobius Lagurini Eolagurus Lagurus Lemmini Lemmus Myopus †Plioctomys Synaptomys †Tobienia Microtini Alexandromys Chionomys Hyperacrius Lasiopodomys Lemmiscus Microtus Mictomicrotus Neodon Proedromys Stenocranius Volemys Ondatrini †Cosomys Neofiber †Ogmodontomys Ondatra Pliophenacomyini Arborimus Phenacomys Pliomyini Dinaromys †Pliomys Cricetinae Allocricetulus †Apocricetus Cansumys †Collimys †Cricetinus †Cricetulodon Cricetulus Cricetus Mesocricetus †Neocricetodon Nothocricetulus Phodopus †Rotundomys †Symmetrodontomys Tscherskia Urocricetus †Democricetodontinae Democricetodon Karydomys Spanocricetodon Neotominae †Protorepomys †Tsaphanomys Baiomyini Baiomys Scotinomys Neotomini Hodomys Nelsonia Neotoma Xenomys Ochrotomyini Ochrotomys Reithrodontomyini Habromys Isthmomys Megadontomys Neotomodon Onychomys Osgoodomys Peromyscus Podomys Reithrodontomys Sigmodontinae †Cordimus Juliomys †Megaoryzomys Oryzomyalia Abrotrichini Abrothrix Chlelemys Geoxus Notiomys Akodontini Akodon Bibimys Blarinomys Brucepattersonius Deltamys Juscelinomys Kunsia Lenoxus Necromys Neomicroxus Oxymycterus Podoxymys Scapteromys Thalpomys Thaptomys Ozyzomyini Aegialomys Amphinectomys Cerradomys Drymoreomys Eremoryzomys Euryoryzomys Handleyomys Holochilus Hylaeamys Lundomys †Megalomys Melanomys Microakodontomys Microryzomys Mindomys Neacomys Nectomys Nephelomys Nesoryzomys Noronhomys Oecomys Oligoryzomys Oreoryzomys Oryzomys Pseudoryzomys Scolomys Sigmodontomys Sooretamys Tanyuromys Transandinomys Zygodontomys Phyllotini Andalgalomys Andinomys Auliscomys Calassomys Calomys Chinchillula Eligmodontia Euneomys Galenomys Graomys †Ichthyurodon Irenomys Loxodontomys Neotomys †Olympicomys Phyllotis Punomys Reithrodon Salinomys †Tafimys Tapecomys Thomasomyini Abrawayaomys Aepeomys Chilomys Delomys Phaenomys Rhagomys Rhipidomys Thomasomys Wilfredomys Wiedomyini †Cholomys Wiedomys Sigmodontalia Ichthyomyini Anotomys Chibchanomys Daptomys Ichthyomys Neusticomys Rheomys Sigmodontini †Prosigmodon Sigmodon Tylomyinae Nyctomyini Nyctomys Ototylomys Tylomyini Otonyctomys Tylomys Muridae Deomyinae Acomys Deomys Lophuromys Uranomys Gerbillinae Ammodillus Desmodilliscini Desmodilliscus Pachyuromys Gerbillini Brachiones Dipodillus Gerbillus Meriones Microdillus Psammomys Rhombomys Sekeetamys Gerbillurini Desmodillus Gerbilliscus Gerbillurus Tatera Taterillini Taterillus Leimacomyinae Leimacomys Lophiomyinae Lophiomys Murinae †Alormys †Coryphomys Hadromys †Hoojieromys †Milimonggamys †Rakasamys †Spelaeomys Vernaya Apodemini Apodemus †Rhagamys Tokudaia Arvicanthini Aethomys Arvicanthis †Canariomys Dasymys Dephomys Desmomys Golunda Grammomys Hybomys Lamottemys Lemniscomys †Malpaisomys Micaelamys Mylomys Oenomys †Parapelomys Pelomys Rhabdomys †Saharamys †Saidomys Stochomys Thallomys Thamnomys Typomys Hapalomyini Hapalomys Hydromyini Anisomys Apomys Archboldomys Baiyankamys Brassomys Chiropodomys Chiruromys Chrotomys Coccymys Conilurus Crossomys Haeromys Hydromys Hyomys Leggadina Leporillus Leptomys Lorentzimys Macruromys Mallomys Mastacomys Melomys Mesembriomys Microhydromys Mirzamys Notomys Parahydromys Paraleptomys Paramelomys Pogonomys Protochromys Pseudohydromys Pseudomys Rhynchomys Solomys Soricomys Uromys Xeromys Zyzomys Malacomyini Malacomys Millardini Cremnomys Diomys Madromys Millardia Pithecheir Pithecheirops Murini Mus Otomyini Myotomys Otomys Parotomys Phloeomyini Batomys Carpomys Crateromys Musseromys Phloeomys Praomyini Chingawaemys Colomys Congomys Heimyscus Hylomyscus Mastomys Montemys Myomyscus Nilopegamys Ochromyscus Praomys Serengetimys Stenocephalemys Zelotomys Rattini Abditomys Anonymomys Bandicota Berylmys Bullimus Bunomys Chiromyscus Crunomys Dacnomys Diplothrix Echiothrix Eropeplus Halmaheramys Hyorhinomys Kadarsanomys Komodomys Lenomys Lenothrix Leopoldamys Limnomys Margaretamys Maxomys Melasmothrix Micromys Nesokia Nesoromys Niviventer Papagomys Palawanomys Paruromys Paucidentomys Paulamys Rattus Saxatilomys Sommeromys Srilankamys Sundamys Taeromys Tarsomys Tateomys Tonkinomys Tryphomys Waiomys Vandeleurini Vandeleuria †Pseudocricetodontinae Adelomyarion Cincamyarion Heterocricetodon Latocricetodon Lignitella Kerosinia Oxynocricetodon Pseudocricetodon Nesomyidae Cricetomyinae Beamys Cricetomys Saccostomus Delanymyinae Delanymys Dendromurinae Dendromus Dendroprionomys Malacothrix Megadendromus Prionomys Steatomys Mystromyinae Mystromys Nesomyinae Brachytarsomys Brachyuromys Eliurus Gymnuromys Hypogeomys Macrotarsomys Monticolomys Nesomys Voalavo Petromyscinae Petromyscus

• Nephelomys
• Taxa named by Marcelo Weksler
• Taxa named by Alexandre Reis Percequillo