EVOLUTION IN SOME SOUTH-EAST ASIAN MURINAE (RODENTIA), AS ASSESSED BYMICROCOMPLEMENT FIXATION OF ALBUMIN, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO AUSTRALIAN MURINES

The interrelationships of 16 genera and 49 species of predominantly So uth-east Asian murine rodents were studied by means of microcomplement fixation of albumin to measure immunological distances among taxa. Th e results are viewed as a hypothesis of the phylogenetic relationship of these taxa that can be tested by other data sets. Three main groupi ngs are suggested: (1) Maxomys; (2) Leopoldomys, Niviventer and Tokuda ia; and (3) Bandicota, Berylmys, Bullimus, Bunomys, Komodomys, Nesokia , Papagomys, Paruromys, Rattus, Stenomys, Sundamys and Taeromys. Withi n this latter group, Bunomys chrsogasta, Komodomys and Rattus timorens is group together, as do Bullimus, Rattus and Stenomys, and Bandicota with Nesokia. The Australian murines, represented by Mesembriomys, may be part of this South-east Asian radiation but, if so, arose early in its history. Biogeographically, the results support South-east Asia a s being a centre of murine evolution with secondary foci in Sulawesi, New Guinea and Australia. There is some evidence to suggest that a rel atively recent land bridge between Sulawesi, Flores and Timor may have existed.