Brazilian shrew rat
| Brazilian shrew rat | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Blarinomys | ||||||||||||
| Thomas , 1896 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Blarinomys breviceps | ||||||||||||
| ( Winge , 1887) |
The Brazilian shrew rat ( Blarinomys breviceps ) is a little-known rodent native to the highlands of southeastern Brazil . It is the only species in the genus Blarinomys . It occurs in the states of Bahia , Espírito Santo , Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais . Here it occurs at altitudes around 800 m, mostly in tropical rainforests , but also in more open terrain.
Despite the name, the shrew rat is more reminiscent of a mole than a shrew . The eyes are extremely small and almost hidden under the fur, as are the ears. The fur is very short-haired, the tail very shortened. But because the head shape to the short-tailed shrews reminded that shrew rat has been named for this: In the generic name Blarinomys infected Blarina , the scientific name of the short-tailed shrews.
The shrew rat is about 15 cm long, 4 cm of which is the tail. She leads a digging way of life. The burrows, the entrances of which are mostly hidden under fallen leaves, initially lead about 25 cm steeply downwards and then further downwards at a gentler angle. The food is still unknown, but it is likely to consist of insects and worms.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Web links
- Drawing of a Brazilian shrew rat
- Blarinomys breviceps in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Baillie, 1996. Retrieved on 11 May, 2006.
