Two distinct groups are recognized among the commensal forms of
Rattus rattus as shown in a dendrogram (fig. 2) . The dendrogram was made by the weighted variable group method based on coefficients of differences in the length of hind foot and upper molar series between each combination of broadly accepted commensal subspecies. The first group, i.e.
rattus group containing
R. r. rattus, brunneus, and
diardi, differs from the second group, i. e.
tanezumi group containing
R. r. rufescens, flavipectus, tistae, and
tanezumi, in evidently longer hind foot.
The house rats of Hachijo Is., Seven Islands of Izu, Japan, hitherto recognized as
R. r. rattus by the author, are distinguished from
tanezumi of Honshu, Japan by much longer hind foot (mean 35.65mm), larger tail ratio (mean 113.7%), and different masseterie plate with obscure antero-upper angle similar to that of
R. r. rattus (fig. 3) . Such characters, length of upper molar series, and general coloration of Hachijo specimens well agree with those of
diardi, and there are no characters markedly differing from the latter. Therefore the population of Hachijo Is. is identified as
R. r. diardi of
rattus group. This subspecies is distinguished from
R. r. rattus by the coloration of the ventral fur and from
brunneus by the slightly but evidently (statistically) smaller tail ratio (table 1) and the lower and thinner masseteric plate.
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