L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 7. 1992 (Budapest, 1992)

Borroto Páez, R., Camacho Pérez, A.; Ramos García, I.: Variation in three populations of Capromys pilorides (Rodentia: Capromyidae), and the description of a new subspecies from the south of the Isle of Youth (Cuba)

MISCELLANEA Tomus 7. ZOOLOGICA 1992. HUNGARICA p. 87-99 Variation in three populations of Capromys pilorides (Rodentia: Capromyidae), and the description of a new subspecies from the south of the Isle of Youth (Cuba) by R. Borroto Páez, A. Camacho Pérez and I. Ramos Garcia (Received March 10,1992) Abstract: External morphological cranial and genetic-biochemical characters of three populations of conga hutia [Capromys pilorides) have been examined. Ecological, etiological, pelage and habitat aspects were also considered. Comparison of populations of the nominate subspecies in the Ciénaga de Zapata, and populations from the north and south of the Isle of Youth (Cuba) contributed to clarifying the taxonomic status of the populations from the south of this island, which had hereto been included in the subspecies C. p. relictus of the northern part of the isle. A detailed analysis of characters has substantiated the subspecific distinctness of the southern population of the Isle of Youth (C. pilorides ciprianoi ssp. n.). Keywords: morphometries, allozymes, Capromys pilorides, Cuba, new subspecies. Introduction The conga hutia (also known as Dcsmarest's hutia) Capromys pilorides, due to its abundance and widespread distribution in Cuba, is the best studied species among Cuban hutias. It shows high ecological plasticity by living in different types of ecosystems. Three subspecies of this hutia have been described apart from the nominate form. Capromys pilorides gundlachianus Varona, 1983, from the Sabana cays and islands off the northern coast of Cuba, was described mainly on the basis of its coat colour, which is almost black in some individuals. Capromys pilorides doceleguas Varona, 1980, from the Jardines de la Reina cays off the south-eastern coast of Cuba, was described based on external features such as the length of its tail, and some cranial characters which are considered larger than in the nominate subspecies. Capromys pilorides relictus Allen, 1911, from the northern region of the Isle of Youth (formerly Isle of Pines) is based on the form of several cranial characters, such as the postpalatal fossa, and has smaller values for absolute lengths than the nominate subspecies. Lastly, Capromys pilorides pilorides Say, 1822, is the nominate subspecies inhabiting the island of Cuba proper. Hernandez et al. (1987) proposed that C. p. relictus was restricted to the northern region of the Isle of Youth (where the type specimens were collected), since coat colour of hutias from this region differed from that of specimens from the southern part of this isle. Such consideration, and our own observations regarding larger body size and weight of individuals from the south of the Isle of Youth, and also differences in their habits and habitat, induced us to carry out detailed research on the intraspecific status of the conga hutia inhabiting this zone.