794 



APODEMUS EPIMELAS Nehrillg. 



1882. Mus mystacinus Winge, Vidensk. Meddel. fra den naturh. Foren. i 

 Kjf»benhavn, 4th ser., in (1881), p. 21 (Dekelia, near Athens, 

 Greece). Not Mus mystacinus Danford and Alston. 



1902. Mus epimelas Nehring, Sitz.-Ber. Gesellsoh. Naturforsch. Freunde, 

 Berlin, p. 95, February, 1902. 



1910. Mus (Epimys) epimelas Trouessart, Faune Mamm. d'Burope, p. 144. 



Type locality. — Agoriani, Parnassus, Greece. 



Geographical distribution. — Balkan Peninsula, west to Cepha- 

 lonia, Corfu and Montenegro. 



Diagnosis. — Largest European member of the genus ; adults 

 with hind foot, 26 to 29 mm., condylobasal length of skull, 28 to 

 31 mm. ; colour light greyish buff with no decided yellowish or 

 russet tinge, the back noticeably clouded with black ; skull and 

 teeth essentially as in Apodemus sylvaticus except for their 

 greater size, but molars relatively larger, the alveolar width of 

 m 1 equal to about one-half width of palate, rn 1 and m 2 with 

 minute though evident fourth tubercle at postero-external 

 margin of crown, and outer ledge of m x and m 2 somewhat better 

 developed. 



External characters. — As in Apodemus sylvaticus except for 

 such differences as are correlated with larger size. Ear large, 

 completely covering eye when laid forward, its form not 

 peculiar. Palmar and plantar tubercles apparently larger than 

 in A. sylvaticus (only dry specimens examined) ; sole completely 

 bare to heel. Tail about as long as head and body, the 

 annulations plainly visible, fourteen to the centimeter at middle, 

 the hairs rather sparse, their length equal to width of about 

 three rings ; pencil scarcely indicated. 



Colour. — Entire upper parts cream-buff with a faint greyish 

 tinge, everywhere darkened by an admixture of blackish hair- 

 tips, these inconspicuous on sides of body but numerous enough 

 over middle of back to produce a noticeable dark clouding ; 

 cheeks, sides of neck, outer surface of front legs, and region 

 behind ears nearly clear cream-buff; underparts and inner 

 surface of legs buffy white, the line of demarcation along sides 

 sharply denned ; feet white ; ear an indefinite dark brown ; tail 

 sharply bicolor, the hairs on upper surface blackish, those on 

 lower surface white. In immature individuals the cream-buff is 

 replaced by smoke-grey, the black remaining essentially as in 

 the adults. 



SJcull. — In all essential respects, apart from its conspicuously 

 greater size, the skull agrees with that of Apodemus sylva- 

 ticus. As in the smaller animal the brain-case remains smooth 

 above, even in extreme old age, never developing the lateral 

 ridges found in old individuals of A. flavicollis. Anterior 

 border of incisive foramina extending relatively further for- 



