Discovery edit
I have seen two sources that say it was discovered in 2004.[1] [2] I invite anyone with contradictory sources to cite them. Eluchil404 10:48, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- It probably depends on what you consider to be "discovery". Probably, it was recognized as a new species in 2004, but it had been known before (as Mus macedonicus). It was first cited for the island in 1991 by Cheylan, but that may have been based on a wrong understanding of an older source, which recorded only M. musculus from Cyprus. However, a 2002 article by Cucchi et al. recorded both M. musculus en M. macedonicus for the island. It was only later that they recognized that this population did not represent M. macedonicus (itself probably a composite), but an as yet unrecognized and undescribed species. My source for this are the remarks in the account of M. macedonicus in the 3rd edition of Mammal Species of the World, an authoritative reference work on mammals.
- Therefore, recognition that more than one species of Mus occurs on Cyprus dates at least from 2002, although it was recognized only in 2004 that the second species was not the widespread M. macedonicus. The 1991 record may be rejected, but at least the mouse had been known for at least two years before it was recognized as new. Ucucha 15:19, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Some corrections edit
I'd like to get some things right. Myotis alcathoe is the last new species of mammal to be discovered in Europe according to Cucchi, but that's just not true: Plecotus sardus (from Sardinia) was described only in 2003 (that's, by the way, not a really cryptic species). It is also not the last new terrestrial mammal to be discovered in Europe. The Italian shrew Sorex arunchi was described in 1997 - that's not really decades ago. It is not even the only remaining member of the endemic Mediterranean fauna: Plecotus sardus is endemic on Sardinia. There are endemic Acomys species (rodents) on Creta and Cyprus. Those may be introduced, but that's not really certain. So, you shouldn't believe everything they say. ;-) Ucucha 15:31, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Europe? edit
This article talks about the mouse and Cyprus like they are on the European continent. Note that Cyprus is near Turkey and Lebanon, not Europe. See the map at right. I will be removing the references to Europe. --ChrisRuvolo (t) 21:06, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Cypriot vs. Cyprus Mouse edit
I don't actually care whether the article is at Cypriot Mouse or Cyprus Mouse, but I thought I'd weigh in with reference to the article itself. Somehow we've cited 4 nearly identical news articles, but no one has even referenced the original article. Note that on page 14 there is a section titled Etymology. This section states:
- "Latin: "from Cyprus"
- "Vernacular name: "the Cyprus mouse""
It's not as if there even is such a thing as an official common name for mammals, but if there were it would be Cyprus mouse instead of Cypriot mouse. --Aranae 21:59, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Picture edit
Could someone please add this picture [3] to the article? I'd do it myself, but I don't understand fair use at all, and am not sure if this would be possible. I looked around for a creative commons image, but believe it or not, it's hard to find a CC image of a species which has only been known of for a few months. Phantombantam 04:49, 22 February 2007 (UTC)