Caenolestes sangay

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Cladus: Cynodontia
Cladus: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohort: Metatheria
Cohors: Marsupialia
Ordo: Paucituberculata

Familia: Caenolestidae
Genus: Caenolestes
Species: Caenolestes sangay
Name

Caenolestes sangay Ojala-Barbour, Pinto, Brito M., Albuja V., Lee Jr. & Patterson, 2013: 973

Holotype: MEPN 12137 (field number PS8), adult ♂, skin and skull, collected by R. Ojala-Barbour and J. Brito on 20 October 2010. skull

Type locality: “at 2,795 m on the eastern slopes of the Andes at Tinguichaca (2813048.7200S, 78826042.1400W) in Sangay National Park, Morona Santiago, Ecuador, along the Macas–Riobamba highway”.
References
Primary references

Ojala-Barbour, R., Pinto, C.M., Brito M., J., Albuja V., L., Lee Jr., T.E. & Patterson, B.D. 2013. A new species of shrew-opossum (Paucituberculata: Caenolestidae) with a phylogeny of extant caenolestids. Journal of Mammalogy 94(5): 967–982. DOI: 10.1644/13-MAMM-A-018.1 Reference page.

Vernacular names
English: Sangay Shrew-opossum
español: Ratón marsupial de Sangay

The eastern caenolestid (Caenolestes sangay) is a shrew opossum found on the eastern slopes of the Andes in southern Ecuador.[2]
Etymology

The origin of the genus name (Caenolestes) drives from the Greek words kainos ("new") and lestes ("robber", "pirate"). The origin of the species name (sangay) derives from Sangay National Park, which is the largest Andean national park in Ecuador. The park itself is named after a volcano called Sangay, one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes that lies within the park. Sangay National Park was the site of the discovery of the eastern caenolestid in 2010.
Taxonomy

The eastern caenolestid is one of the five members of Caenolestes, and is placed in the family Caenolestidae (shrew opossums). In the latter part of 20th century, scientists believed that Caenolestes is closely related to Lestoros (the Incan caenolestid).[3][4] Over the years, it became clear that Lestoros is morphologically different from Caenolestes.[5] A 2013 morphological and mitochondrial DNA-based phylogenetic study showed that the Incan caenolestid and the long-nosed caenolestid (Rhyncholestes raphanurus) form a clade sister to Caenolestes. The cladogram below is based on this study.[2]

	Gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) Brown four-eyed opossum (Metachirus nudicaudatus) Incan caenolestid (Lestoros inca) Long-nosed caenolestid (Rhyncholestes raphanurus) Caenolestes Northern caenolestid (C. convelatus) Dusky caenolestid (C. fuliginosus) Andean caenolestid (C. condorensis) Gray-bellied caenolestid (C. caniventer) Eastern caenolestid (C. sangay)

Caenolestid fossils date to as early as the early Eocene (nearly 55 mya).[6]
References

Ojala-Barbour, R.; Brito, D.; Pinto, C. (2020) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Caenolestes sangay". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T51222063A166524217. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
Ojala-Barbour, R.; Pinto, C. M.; Brito, J.; Albuja, L.; Lee, T. E.; Patterson, B. D. (October 2013). "A new species of shrew-opossum (Paucituberculata: Caenolestide) with a phylogeny of extant caenolestids". Journal of Mammalogy. 94 (5): 967–982. doi:10.1644/13-MAMM-A-018.1.
Simpson, G.G. (1970). "The Argyrolagidae, extinct South American marsupials". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 139: 1–86.
Marshall, L.G. (1980). "Systematics of the South American marsupial family Caenolestidae". Fieldiana: Geology. New Series. 5: 1–145.
Gardner, A.L., ed. (2007). Mammals of South America. Vol. 1. Chicago, US: University of Chicago Press. pp. 121, 124–6. ISBN 978-0-226-28242-8.
Patterson, B.D.; Gallardo, M.H. (1987). "Rhyncolestes raphanurus" (PDF). Mammalian Species (286): 1–5. doi:10.2307/3503866. JSTOR 3503866.