New species of Melomys 
117 
Figure 3 Pes plantar surface, a and tail, b, of Melomys howl holotype. Scale, 5 mm. 
lamella; molar rows diverge posteriorly from each 
other; upper incisors slightly opisthodont, anterior 
face orange. First and second lower molars each 
with well-developed posterior cingulum. 
Externals (Figure 3) 
Small body size with snout to vent length 112 
and weight 61-73 gm. Tail long (136-137) and 
averaging 121-123% of body length; ears short 
(15.2-15.5); pes moderately long (26.0-27.2), and 
wide (7.2-7.7). Scales on tail not raised to form a 
ridge or hump (Figure 3b). Plantar pads of pes and 
manus similar to those of M. bannisteri from Kai 
Besar Island but differ from those of M. cooperae in 
that the interdigital pads between digits 2 and 3 do 
not overlap the interdigit pad between digits 1 and 
2 (Figure 3a). There are two pairs of inguinal teats. 
Pelage 
Dominant colour of dorsal surface pelage tawny, 
resulting from tawny tipping to the medium 
neutral gray colour of basal two-thirds of hairs. 
Head slightly contrastingly coloured: cinnamon 
and forehead evenly grading into smoke gray of 
temporal region, but contrasting with buff yellow 
of cheeks, small white patch at base of the mysticial 
vibrissae and dark rings around eyes. Hairs in mid 
dorsum with length of 15 while those of mid 
forehead 8; flanks cinnamon tipping to the medium 
neutral gray of basal two-thirds of hairs. Lips, 
throat, chest, abdomen to anus, inside of thigh, 
manus and pes upper surface white; interface 
between white of abdomen and cinnamon of flanks 
cream color. Abdomen hairs 10 long; outer leg 
surface buff yellow. Ear pinna skin antique brown; 
pinna lightly furred inside and outside with short 
clay color hairs. Tail skin bicoloured: glaucous 
dorsally and a pale neutral gray ventrally. 
Tail scales with three hairs per scale; tail hairs 
moderately long (0.8) slightly longer than scale 
breadth. 
On head numerous black mysticial vibrissae up 
to 45 long; numerous short (up to 10 mm) white 
submental vibrissae; two short (up to 5) white 
interramal vibrissae; a single long (up to 18) black 
genal vibrissa; several long (up to 20) black 
