2021
DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2021/7137
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The cryptic case of Otomys sloggetti (Sloggett’s vlei rat): Interpreting murid molar morphology in the fossil record

Abstract: Vlei rats (Family: Muridae; Subfamily: Otomyinae) have a widespread distribution in southern Africa. They are favoured prey of barn and spotted eagle owls, and frequently become associated with archaeological deposits when the owls roost in cave sites. The phylogeny of several Otomyinae species is enigmatic, and Otomys sloggetti (Sloggett’s vlei rat) is no exception. This species has been referred to as the ‘ice rat’ and present distribution ranges are seemingly limited to mountainous areas, at high altitude, … Show more

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“…A few species occurred in BBC archaeological assemblages that are not present in the area today, such as A. hottentotus, C. duthieae, and O. laminatus. As Matthews et al (2020) and Matthews and Nel (2021) have noted, our knowledge of micromammal distribution patterns for the present and the past has voids and inaccuracies, especially for the biogeography of multiple taxa. These issues need to be addressed with phylogenetic and phylogeography research.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
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“…A few species occurred in BBC archaeological assemblages that are not present in the area today, such as A. hottentotus, C. duthieae, and O. laminatus. As Matthews et al (2020) and Matthews and Nel (2021) have noted, our knowledge of micromammal distribution patterns for the present and the past has voids and inaccuracies, especially for the biogeography of multiple taxa. These issues need to be addressed with phylogenetic and phylogeography research.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…However, the ongoing mapping of micromammal species distribution, based on both modern and archaeological materials, highlights the many grey areas of our knowledge regarding the distribution of species habitats in South Africa. In addition, the taxonomic status of several murid species is unclear as current monotypic species may contain other species or sub-species that require further research to determine their habitat requirements (i.e., Otomys spp., Steatomys krebsii) (Matthews & Nel, 2021;Monadjem & Schlitter, 2016,). Yet, while keeping these issues in mind, some inferences of taxonomic distribution patterns, occurrences, and palaeoenvironmental implications can be made based on the BBC assemblage.…”
Section: Taxonomic Distribution Patterns and Palaeoenvironmental Implicationsmentioning
confidence: 99%
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