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phylogenetic relationships and classification of didelphid marsupials ...

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130 BULLETIN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 322<br />

present; central palmar epithelium smooth or<br />

sparsely tuberculate; lateral carpal tubercles<br />

present in fully adult males, but medial carpal<br />

tubercles absent in both sexes. Pedal digits<br />

unwebbed; dIV longer than other pedal<br />

digits; plantar surface <strong>of</strong> heel naked. Pouch<br />

absent; mammary formula (unknown for<br />

most species) 3–1–3 5 7 to 4–1–4 5 9; cloaca<br />

present. Tail much longer than combined<br />

length <strong>of</strong> head <strong>and</strong> body, slender <strong>and</strong><br />

muscular (not incrassate), <strong>and</strong> macroscopically<br />

naked (furred only near base); naked<br />

caudal integument usually unicolored (dark)<br />

but sometimes indistinctly bicolored (dark<br />

above, paler below) at base; caudal scales in<br />

annular series (most species) or annular <strong>and</strong><br />

spiral series (G. emiliae), each scale with three<br />

subequal bristlelike hairs emerging from<br />

distal margin; ventral caudal surface modified<br />

for prehension distally (with naked<br />

median groove <strong>and</strong> apical pad bearing<br />

dermatoglyphs).<br />

Premaxillary rostral process present. Nasals<br />

long, extending anteriorly beyond I1<br />

(concealing nasal orifice from dorsal view),<br />

<strong>and</strong> conspicuously widened posteriorly near<br />

maxillary-frontal suture. Maxillary turbinals<br />

elaborately branched. Two lacrimal foramina<br />

present on each side but usually inconspicuous<br />

in lateral view (partially concealed within<br />

anterior orbital margin). Interorbital region<br />

more or less parallel-sided, without welldeveloped<br />

constrictions; supraorbital margins<br />

smoothly rounded in most species (e.g.,<br />

G. dryas) or with well-developed beads (in G.<br />

emiliae); postorbital processes usually absent<br />

except in large adult specimens <strong>of</strong> G. microtarsus.<br />

Left <strong>and</strong> right frontals <strong>and</strong> parietals<br />

separated by persistent median sutures.<br />

Parietal <strong>and</strong> alisphenoid in contact on lateral<br />

braincase (no squamosal-frontal contact).<br />

Sagittal crest absent. Petrosal laterally exposed<br />

through fenestra in parietal-squamosal<br />

suture. Parietal-mastoid contact present (interparietal<br />

does not contact squamosal).<br />

Maxillopalatine fenestrae present; palatine<br />

fenestrae present; maxillary fenestrae present<br />

in most species (but very small <strong>and</strong> occasionally<br />

absent uni- or bilaterally in G. emiliae);<br />

posterolateral palatal foramina small, not<br />

extending lingual to M4 protocones; posterior<br />

palatal morphology conforms to Didelphis<br />

morphotype (with well-developed lateral cor-<br />

ners, the choanae constricted behind). Maxillary<br />

<strong>and</strong> alisphenoid not in contact on floor<br />

<strong>of</strong> orbit (separated by palatine). Transverse<br />

canal foramen present. Alisphenoid tympanic<br />

process flask shaped or globular (not laterally<br />

compressed <strong>and</strong> without a well-developed<br />

ventral process), almost always with anteromedial<br />

strut enclosing extracranial course <strong>of</strong><br />

m<strong>and</strong>ibular nerve (secondary foramen ovale<br />

usually present), <strong>and</strong> not contacting rostral<br />

tympanic process <strong>of</strong> petrosal. Anterior limb<br />

<strong>of</strong> ectotympanic directly suspended from<br />

basicranium. Stapes triangular, with large<br />

obturator foramen. Fenestra cochleae usually<br />

exposed (partially concealed by caudal tympanic<br />

process <strong>of</strong> petrosal in some specimens<br />

<strong>of</strong> G. aceramarcae <strong>and</strong> G. microtarsus).<br />

Paroccipital process small, rounded, <strong>and</strong><br />

adnate to petrosal. Dorsal margin <strong>of</strong> foramen<br />

magnum bordered by exoccipitals <strong>and</strong> supraoccipital,<br />

incisura occipitalis present.<br />

Two mental foramina present on lateral<br />

surface <strong>of</strong> each hemim<strong>and</strong>ible; angular process<br />

acute <strong>and</strong> strongly inflected.<br />

Unworn crowns <strong>of</strong> I2–I5 symmetrically<br />

rhomboidal (‘‘premolariform’’), with subequal<br />

anterior <strong>and</strong> posterior cutting edges,<br />

increasing in length (mesiodistal dimension)<br />

from I2 to I5 (e.g., in G. microtarsus), or I2–<br />

I5 crowns subequal in length (e.g., in G.<br />

emiliae). Upper canine (C1) alveolus in<br />

premaxillary-maxillary suture; C1 simple,<br />

without accessory cusps except in G. emiliae<br />

(which consistently has a posterior accessory<br />

cusp). First upper premolar (P1) smaller than<br />

posterior premolars but well-formed <strong>and</strong> not<br />

vestigial; second <strong>and</strong> third upper premolars<br />

(P2 <strong>and</strong> P3) subequal in height; P3 with<br />

posterior cutting edge only; upper milk<br />

premolar (dP3) large <strong>and</strong> molariform. Molars<br />

carnassialized (postmetacristae longer<br />

than postprotocristae); relative widths M1<br />

, M2 , M3 . M4 or M1 , M2 , M3 ,<br />

M4; centrocrista strongly inflected labially on<br />

M1–M3; ect<strong>of</strong>lexus indistinct or absent on<br />

M1 <strong>and</strong> M2 but consistently distinct on M3;<br />

anterolabial cingulum continuous with preprotocrista<br />

(complete anterior cingulum<br />

present) on M3; postprotocrista without<br />

carnassial notch. Last upper tooth to erupt<br />

is P3.<br />

Lower incisors (i1–i4) with distinct lingual<br />

cusps. Second lower premolar (p2) taller than

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