BACULAR VARIATION IN SUBSPECIES TAXONOMY OF THE BRAZILIAN SPINY RAT PROECHIMYS (TRINOMYS) IHERINGI

Qualitative aspects of the bacular morphology and variation are survey ed in the seven subspecies currently recognized for Proechimys ihering i (Rodentia: Echimyidae). Each form has a distinct bacular morphology, although the degree of distinctiveness varies among the subspecies. B acula in P. i. denigratus, P. i. panema, P. i. gratiosus, P. i. bonafi dei, and P. i. eliasi share a similarity in overall shape although the y differ noticeably from bacula in P. i. paratus and P. i. iheringi. T he bacular data seem to support hypotheses derived from cranial morpho logy and statistical analyses of craniometric trails suggesting that P . iheringi might be a complex of three morphologically similar species .