Echimyinae is a subfamily of rodents belonging to the spiny rats family Echimyidae. It contains 14 arboreal genera—all the members of the tribe Echimyini, plus Callistomys—a few terrestrial genera (Thrichomys, Hoplomys, and Proechimys), and a subaquatic genus (Myocastor).
Systematics The taxonomic content of Echimyinae has been reshaped over time, because of two realizations. The first is a better understanding of the evolution of morphological characters, leading to the recognition that key character states long used to group genera into higher units were demonstrably homoplastic. The second came from the a phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequence data.
+ Comparison between molecular-based and traditional systematics for Echimyinae genera. Genera Molecular-based systematics Traditional systematicsEchimys Echimyini EchimyinaePhyllomys Echimyini EchimyinaeMakalata Echimyini EchimyinaePattonomys Echimyini EchimyinaeToromys Echimyini EchimyinaeDiplomys Echimyini EchimyinaeSantamartamys Echimyini EchimyinaeIsothrix Echimyini EchimyinaeDactylomys Echimyini DactylomyinaeOlallamys Echimyini DactylomyinaeKannabateomys Echimyini DactylomyinaeLonchothrix Echimyini EumysopinaeMesomys Echimyini EumysopinaeCallistomys Myocastorini EchimyinaeMyocastor Myocastorini MyocastoridaeThrichomys Myocastorini EumysopinaeHoplomys Myocastorini EumysopinaeProechimys Myocastorini Eumysopinae
Phylogeny The subfamily Echimyinae groups most of the spiny rat family's generic diversity into two tribes: Echimyini and Myocastorini.
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