Cyclopes ida, THOMAS, 1900

Miranda, Flávia R., Casali, Daniel M., Perini, Fernando A., Machado, Fabio A. & Santos, Fabrício R., 2018, Taxonomic review of the genus Cyclopes Gray, 1821 (Xenarthra: Pilosa), with the revalidation and description of new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 183, pp. 687-721 : 704-706

CYCLOPES IDA THOMAS, 1900

( FIG. 14)

Cyclopes didactylus ida Thomas 1900: 302 . Type locality ‘ Sarayacu , Upper Pastaza River’, Ecuador.

Cyclopes didactylus codajazensis Lönnberg, 1942: 46 . Type locality ‘ Rio Solimoes , Codajaz’, Amazonas, Brazil.

Cyclopes juruanus Lönnberg 1942: 47 . Type localities ‘Rio Juruá, João Pessoa. Rio Juruá, Rio Eirú, Santo Antonio’, Amazonas State, Brazil; restricted to the Rio Juruá by Cabrera (1958) and to João Pessoa, Rio Juruá by Gardner (2007).

Cyclopes didactylus jurnanus Cabrera 1958: 207 . Incorrect subsequent spelling of juruanus Lönnberg 1942 .

Holotype: Female, BMNH (80.5.6.67), collected by Mr Clarence Bukley ( Fig. 15).

Type locality: ‘Sarayacu, Upper Pastaza River’, Pastaza, Ecuador .

Referred specimens: Holotype: BMNH (80.5.6.67), Sarayacu, Ecuador; Brazil: FMNH (20033), Plácido de Castro, Acre; MZUSP (19943), Cantagalo, Amazonas; NRM (1089, C. d. codajazensis Holotype), Codajás, Amazonas; MPEG (1905), Iauaretê, Amazonas; NRM (2389, C. d. juruanus Holotype), João Pessoa, Amazonas ; INPA (189, 202), Lago Amanã , Amazonas ; MNRJ (5965), Lago do Batista , Amazonas ; MZUSP (4256, 4258), Manacapuru , Amazonas ; AMNH (78636), São Gabriel da Cachoeira (right margin of Rio Negro ), Amazonas ; Colombia: AMNH (33918), Morelia , Caqueta; AMNH (207930), Leticia ; AMNH (133484), Restrepo , Meta; AMNH (139228), Meta; Peru: AMNH (98523, 167845, 204662), Iquitos , Loreto; FMNH (89172), Iquitos , Loreto; AMNH (30107, 75281, 98519, 98521, 98524, 98525, 98526), Loreto; MVZ (157801), Río Santiago , AMNH (98518, 98520), Ucayali.

Distribution: The majority of the known distribution of C. ida covers areas south of the Negro and Uaupés Rivers (right bank), but a sample from Restrepo, Colombia indicates a northern reach for the species, although the precise limit is unknown. The southern limit is at Juruá River at the western portion of the distribution, and possibly at the Amazon River in the eastern portion. In addition, there is a record in the forests of eastern Andes, which is the western limit of the distribution for this species ( Fig. 27).

Diagnosis: Dorsal pelage, legs and tail usually grey. Underparts light yellow, without a ventral stripe. Dorsal stripe, when present, indistinct and subsided into the dorsal fur. Fronto-nasal region of the skull depressed, with a concave profile. External aperture of the ear directed laterally. Naso-maxillary sutures approximately parallel, forming a wide fronto-maxillary suture. Fronto-parietal suture with horseshoe shape, and pterygoid bone partially overlaps tympanic bulla.

Comparisons: Cyclopes ida usually lacks both dorsal and ventral stripes. However, unlike the bright reddish yellow coloration of Cyclopes rufus sp. nov., and the yellowish tone, with grey legs and tail, seen in Cyclopes thomasi sp. nov., the coloration of C. ida is mostly greyish yellow, with a yellow venter.

Remarks: Based on four specimens, Thomas (1900) described the subspecies Cyclopes didactylus ida from Ecuador with general colour more similar to C. d. didactylus than C. d. dorsalis . Cyclopes didactylus codajazensis was described in 1942 by Lönnberg. The description closely matches C. ida , with a uniformly grey body, limbs and tail and absence of ventral stripe. Despite Lönnberg (1942) stating the presence of a clearly marked dorsal stripe, examination of the holotype specimen ( NRM 1089) reveals it to be much more indistinct, in conformation with the condition usually found in C. ida . The similarities were recognized by Cabrera (1958), who synonymized C. d. codajazensis with C. ida . Gardner (2007), however, suggested that C. d. codajazensis was synonymous with C. d catellus . Given the many differences between C. catellus and the holotype of C. d. codajazensis (see below), and the similarities of the latter with C. ida , including cranial characters, we tend to agree with Cabrera (1958) and consider C. d. codajazensis synonymous with C. ida . In the same article, in which he described Cyclopes didactylus codajazensis, Lönnberg (1942) also described a new species, Cyclopes juruanus , based on three specimens collected along the Juruá River, in Brazil. Lönnberg (1942) emphasised the many subtle variations in the pelage of the specimens, particularly on the brownish hue of the dorsal fur. However, an examination of the type specimens revealed a more brownish-grey tone, not unlike that found in other specimens of C. ida . The ventral stripe, also highlighted by Lönnberg (1942), is, however, indistinct and poorly defined and may be absent altogether. Cranial characters tend to agree with a C. ida identification. Gardner (2007) also considered C. juruanus a synonym of C. didactylus ida , and we tend to agree.