Descripción de una nueva especie de comadrejita ratona del género Marmosops Matschie, 1916 (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae)

A new species of mouse opossum, belonging to the genus Marmosops, has been identified from northern Venezuela. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the distribution and taxonomy of the Marmosops parvidens group, which was thought to include five species across South America. The research involved detailed morphological analysis of specimens from Venezuelan museums, revealing unique characteristics such as a triangle-shaped carpal tubercle in males, posterior accessory cusps on canines, and specific dental features that distinguish this new species. Its distribution is confirmed to be restricted to the Cordillera de la Costa Central and Cordillera de Mérida mountain ranges, with an elevation range of 50 to 1850 meters above sea level. This finding corrects earlier misidentifications and highlights the importance of thorough taxonomic studies in understanding biodiversity.

García, F. J., Sánchez-Hernández, J., & Semedo, T. B. F. (2014). Descripción de una nueva especie de comadrejita ratona del género Marmosops Matschie, 1916 (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae). Therya, 5(3), 701–723. https://doi.org/10.12933/therya-14-209