Clyomys is a South Americanrodentgenus in the family Echimyidae. It contains two species, found in tropical savannas and grasslands from circa 100 m (300 ft) to 1,100 m (3,600 ft) elevation in central Brazil and eastern Paraguay.[1]
The term Clyomys derives from the two ancient greek words κλύω (klúō, or clyo), meaning "to listen, to prick up one's ears", and μῦς (mûs), meaning "mouse, rat".[2][3]
Clyomys is the sister genus to Euryzygomatomys. Both taxa are closely related to the genus Trinomys.
In turn, these three genera — forming the clade of Euryzygomatomyinae — share phylogenetic affinities with a clade containing Carterodon and members of the family Capromyidae.[5]
Analyses of craniodental characters proposed that Clyomys — and also Euryzygomatomys — may be associated with Carterodon.[6][7]
However, molecular data suggest the polyphyly of this assemblage of fossorial genera.[5]
Genus-level cladogram of the Euryzygomatomyinae with their relationship to Carterodon and Capromyidae.
The cladogram has been reconstructed from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA characters.[8][9][10][11][12][5] According to this phylogenetic tree, the fossorial genera Euryzygomatomys, Clyomys, and Carterodon constitute a polyphyletic assemblage (red bar).
^Galewski, Thomas; Mauffrey, Jean-François; Leite, Yuri L. R.; Patton, James L.; Douzery, Emmanuel J. P. (2005). "Ecomorphological diversification among South American spiny rats (Rodentia; Echimyidae): a phylogenetic and chronological approach". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 34 (3): 601–615. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.015. PMID15683932.
^Upham, Nathan S.; Patterson, Bruce D. (2012). "Diversification and biogeography of the Neotropical caviomorph lineage Octodontoidea (Rodentia: Hystricognathi)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 63 (2): 417–429. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.01.020. PMID22327013.
^Fabre, Pierre-Henri; Galewski, Thomas; Tilak, Marie-ka; Douzery, Emmanuel J. P. (2013-03-01). "Diversification of South American spiny rats (Echimyidae): a multigene phylogenetic approach". Zoologica Scripta. 42 (2): 117–134. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2012.00572.x. ISSN1463-6409.