A tribe of mammals belonging to the spiny rat family of rodents
Myocastorini is a tribe of echimyid rodents, proposed in 2017, and containing the five extant genera "Callistomys", "Hoplomys", "Myocastor", "Proechimys", and "Thrichomys".
Definition.
Myocastorini members share long upper incisor roots (except "Callistomys"), and mid- to long-sized lower incisor roots. These five genera share either four ("Callistomys", "Thrichomys") or five ("Hoplomys", "Myocastor", "Proechimys") lophids on the lower deciduous fourth premolar, three roots anchoring the upper molars, and well-connected lophs on cheek teeth.
Members display a variety of lifestyles including terrestrial ("Hoplomys", "Proechimys", "Thrichomys"), arboreal ("Callistomys"), and amphibious ("Myocastor") adaptations.
Phylogeny.
On the one hand, the genus "Proechimys" is the sister group to the genus "Hoplomys" (armored rats), and both form a clade of lowland rainforest terrestrial spiny rats. On the other hand, "Callistomys" (painted tree-rats) is the sister group to "Myocastor" (coypus). In turn, these two pairs of genera share evolutionary affinities with "Thrichomys" (punaré).
References.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;