Part 2

Range.--Known only from the vicinity of Patzcuaro, Michoacan.

Diagnosis.--Size large (see measurements); upper parts dark brown; posterior border of nasals V-shaped with apex directed anteriorly; frontomaxillary suture medially concave or rarely straight; interparietal subcircular; basisphenoid wide; tympanic bullae large.

Comparisons.--From Liomys irroratus alleni, acutus differs as follows: Color slightly darker brown on upper parts; size slightly less; posterior border of nasals V-shaped rather than truncate; frontomaxillary suture medially concave or straight instead of convex; interparietal subcircular (anterior border) rather than triangular; basisphenoid broader; tympanic bullae larger and more inflated. From Liomys irroratus jaliscensis (topotypes), acutus differs as follows: Color slightly darker brown on upper parts; size larger, without overlap, in external measurements and in basilar length, length of nasals and mastoid breadth; posterior border of nasals V-shaped rather than almost truncate; frontomaxillary suture medially concave or straight rather than convex; interparietal subcircular rather than quadrilateral; basisphenoid wider; tympanic bullae larger. From Liomys irroratus pullus, acutus differs in longer body, shorter tail, slightly longer hind foot; all of upper parts, and especially upper side of tail, more brownish and less blackish; posterior border of nasals and frontomaxillary suture differing in same way as from alleni; interorbital region narrower in relation to length of skull; over-all length of skull greater; interparietal anteroposteriorly longer; tympanic bullae more inflated.

Remarks.--This relatively large, dark-colored, spiny pocket mouse of east-central Michoacan differs from its geographic neighbors in V-shape of posterior border of nasals, semicircular shape of interparietal, medially concave maxillofrontal suture, wide basisphenoid and larger tympanic bullae. The latter character is not constant. Intergradation with L. i. alleni is shown by specimens from Querendaro in which the shape of the interparietal is exactly intermediate between those of topotypes of the two subspecies and also in that the basisphenoid is wider than in acutus but narrower than in alleni. Intergradation with L. i. jaliscensis is shown, by specimen No. 120275 (U. S. N. M.) from Zamora, in shape of posterior end of nasals, direction of maxillofrontal suture, and shape of interparietal. In each of these features the specimen from Zamora is almost exactly intermediate between acutus and jaliscensis. In large size of tympanic bullae and wider basisphenoid the specimen agrees with acutus, but otherwise is nearly as small as jaliscensis to which it is here referred. Actually the specimen could, with almost equal propriety, be referred to either subspecies.

Measurements.--The measurements of two males, Nos. 100184, 100182, and average and extreme measurements of five females, are, respectively, as follows: Total length, 257, 267, 244 (230-251); length of tail, 130, 128, 122 (105-129); length of hind foot, 32, 31, 31 (30-33); length of ear from notch, 16, 17, 15.3 (13.0-19); weight in grams, 71.5, 65.1, 50.8 (44.8-61.8); greatest length of skull, 35.2, 34.9, 33.6 (32.7-34.2); zygomatic breadth, 17.7, 17.5, 16.5 (16.1-17.1); interorbital breadth, 8.4, 8.1, 7.8 (7.5-8.0); length of nasals, 15.1, 14.9, 14.0 (13.3-14.5); width of braincase, 15.9, 15.1, 15.0 (14.7-15.1); alveolar length of upper molariform tooth-row, 6.0, 6.0, 5.6 (5.5-5.9). The measurements were taken according to the method of Goldman (N. Amer. Fauna, 34:10, 1911). Each of the specimens of which measurements are given above is adult; the transverse enamel fold has been obliterated in M1, is represented by only an isolated lake in M2 (except in one female where all trace of the fold has worn away) and is present in M3.

Specimens examined.--Total, 16, all from Michoacan, Mexico, and unless otherwise indicated in the University of California Museum of Vertebrate Zooelogy, as follows: 3 mi. NW Patzcuaro, 6700 ft., 1; 2 mi. W Patzcuaro, 7700 ft., 5; 2 mi. W Patzcuaro, 6700 ft., 2; Patzcuaro, 1 (U. S. Nat. Mus.); 5 mi. S Patzcuaro, 7800 ft., 7.

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For the loan of comparative materials we are grateful to Dr. Harold E. Anthony of the American Museum of Natural History, Mr. Stanley P. Young and Dr. Hartley H. T. Jackson of the Biological Surveys Collection in the United States National Museum, Dr. Charles P. Lyman of the Museum of Comparative Zooelogy, and for assistance with the field work to the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and to Miss Annie M. Alexander.

Transmitted April 1, 1948.

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