Genus of mammals belonging to the spiny rat family of rodents
Dactylomys is the genus of South American bamboo rats They are arboreal members of the family Echimyidae.
Systematics.
The genus name "Dactylomys" derives from the two Ancient Greek words (), meaning "finger", and (), meaning "mouse, rat", and refers to the middle two digits especially elongated relative to lateral ones as observed in these rodents.
The genus contains three species:
Phylogeny.
"Dactylomys" is a member of the Echimyini clade of arboreal Echimyidae rodents. The closest relative of "Dactylomys" is "Olallamys", and then "Kannabateomys". These South American bamboo rats share unique features and are grouped under the informal clade name of "Dactylomyines". The dactylomyines are the sister genera to "Diplomys" and "Santamartamys". All these taxa are closely related to the genera "Echimys", "Phyllomys", "Makalata", "Pattonomys", and "Toromys". In turn, these genera share phylogenetic affinities with the clade containing "Lonchothrix" and "Mesomys", and with "Isothrix".
References.
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