Brazilian tree mice
| Brazilian tree mice | ||||||||||||
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| Rhagomys | ||||||||||||
| Thomas , 1917 |
The Brazilian tree mice ( Rhagomys ) are a species of rodent living in South America from the group of the New World mice . They are of two types.
These rodents reach a head body length of around nine centimeters and have a tail of about the same length. Their fur is colored orange-red, the underside is a little lighter. The tail is sparsely covered with hair, the short ears barely protrude from the fur. As the only representatives of the Sigmodontinae , they have a nail and no claw on the first toe of the rear foot. Their physique shows adaptations to a tree-dwelling way of life.
There are two types:
The reddish tree mouse ( Rhagomys rufescens ) occurs only in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro . Only two specimens are known, due to the high level of urban sprawl and the associated destruction of the habitat, the species is listed as " critically endangered " by the IUCN .
The long- tongue tree mouse ( Rhagomys longilingua ) was not described until 2003 . This species inhabits forests in southeastern Peru (regions of Madre de Dios and Cusco ). So far it is only known from three copies. Its endangerment level is uncertain; the IUCN has not yet listed the species.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 (English).
- Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World . A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference . 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 (English).
Web links
- Endangerment level of the individual species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .