Records of the Western Australian Museum 17: 43-50 (1995). 
A new species of Melomys (Rodentia, Muridae) from Yamdena Island, 
Tanimbar group. Eastern Indonesia 
D.J. Kitchener 1 and I. Maryanto 2 
1 Western Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000 
2 Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, I..IPI, Jalan Ir H. juanda 9, Bogor, Indonesia, 16122 
Abstract — Seven specimens of Melomys, superficially most similar 
morphologically to members of the M. leucogaster group (sensu, Tate 1951), 
were recently collected in Yamdena Island, eastern Indonesia. They are 
herein described as a new species. 
INTRODUCTION 
In April-May 1993, a team of vertebrate 
biologists from the Western Australian Museum 
and the Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, collected 
seven specimens of Melomys from Yamdena Island, 
Tanimbar group, Maluku Tenggara. The 
combination of medium to large size (body and 
pes lengths greater than 120 mm and 25 mm, 
respectively), a short, broad skull, short rostrum, 
fur on ventral surface white to base and only one 
hair for each tail scale, identify these specimens as 
belonging to the Melomys leucogaster - M. rufescens 
group (Riimmler 1938, Tate 1951). These Tanimbar 
specimens are herein described as a new species. 
METHODS 
The Tanimbar specimens were weighed in the 
field prior to their fixation with formalin. External 
measurements were recorded from these 
specimens following their fixation, except for the 
skin and skull WAM M43821, which was measured 
prior to fixation. All measurements (in mm) were 
taken with digital callipers: externals to 0.1 mm; 
skull and dental to 0.01 mm. Measurement points 
follow Tate (1951). Pelage and colour descriptions, 
where they were determined from the colour 
charts of Smithe (1975), are capitalised. 
Adult condition was judged by reproductive 
status only, because basicranial sutures were still 
clearly visible in specimens of Tanimbar Melomys 
that were reproductively mature and had very 
worn teeth. 
THE MELOMYS LEUCOGASTER - M. 
RUFESCENS "GROUP" 
Riimmler (1938) placed the following forms as 
subspecies of M. leucogaster-. M. 1. leucogaster 
(Jentink, 1908) (including M. latipes Tate and 
Archbold, 1935); M. 1. arcium (Thomas, 1913); M. /. 
fulgens (Thomas, 1920); M. /. talaudium (Thomas, 
1921) and M. I. caurinus (Thomas, 1921). 
Tate (1951) considered M. arcium, M. fulgens, M. 
caurinus and M. talaudium to be species. He 
retained M. latipes and M. rubicola Thomas, 1924 as 
subspecies of M. leucogaster but stated that "I am 
almost of the opinion that they should be reduced 
to synonyms of M. leucogaster". Laurie and Hill 
(1954) considered that M. leucogaster comprised 
only leucogaster and latipes. They considered 
rubicola a species and listed talaudium and caurinus 
as subspecies of M. fulgens. 
Riimmler (1938) considered that M. rufescens 
comprised three subspecies: M. r. rufescens (Alston, 
1877); M. r. gracilis (Thomas, 1906) and M. dollmani 
Riimmler, 1935. Tate (1951) added the following 
subspecies: M. r. bougainville Troughton, 1936; M. r. 
stalkeri (Thomas, 1904); M. r. sexplicatus (Jentink, 
1907); M. r. Imgeni Troughton, 1937; M. r. niviventer 
Tate, 1951 and M. r. calidior (Thomas, 1911). He 
placed Mws musavora Ramsay, 1877 in synonymy 
with M. r. rufescens. Laurie and Hill (1954) largely 
followed Tate (1951) but placed dollmani in 
synonymy with gracilis. 
TAXONOMY 
Melomys cooperae Kitchener sp. nov. 
Figures 1-3, Table 1 
Holotype 
Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense specimen 
number 15902; adult (pregnant) female; weight 65 
g; carcass fixed in 10% formalin and preserved in 
70% ethanol; skull separate; liver preserved at the 
Western Australian Museum in ultrafreeze 
refrigerator. Collected in breakback trap on 2 May 
1993 by R.A. How and D.J. Kitchener. 
Type locality 
1 km S Kebun Lorulun, c. 20 km N Saumlaki, 
Yamdena Island, Tanimbar group; Maluku 
Tenggara, Indonesia (7°52'S, 131°25'E); altitude 200 
m. 
