Grave mice
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Oxymycterus nasutus |
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| Oxymycterus | ||||||||||||
| Waterhouse , 1837 |
The grave mice ( Oxymycterus ) are a species of rodent living in South America from the group of New World mice . They include 17 types.
features
These rodents reach a head body length of 9 to 17 centimeters, the tail measures 7 to 15 centimeters. The weight of only one species is known, O. rufus weighs 45 to 125 grams. Their thin fur is reddish, yellow-brown, dark brown or black on the upper side, the underside is lighter. The snout is elongated, the relatively short tail is sparsely to moderately hairy.
Distribution and way of life
The grave mice live in central South America, their range extends from central Peru and Bolivia over large parts of Brazil to northern Argentina . Their habitat are swamps, grasslands and forest areas.
They live in underground burrows that they have taken over from other animals or on the ground. At least one species, O. rufus , is diurnal. These animals feed primarily on insects , but they also eat other invertebrates and occasionally plants. Thus they resemble the North American grasshopper mice ( Onychomys ) in their way of life . Several times a year the female gives birth to one to six young animals.
Systematics
There are 17 types:
- Oxymycterus akodontius lives in northwest Argentina.
- Oxymycterus amazonicus is common in central Brazil.
- Oxymycterus angularis occurs in the extreme northeast of Brazil.
- Oxymycterus caparoae lives in southeastern Brazil.
- Oxymycterus dasytrichus also lives in southeastern Brazil.
- Oxymycterus delator lives in eastern Paraguay and south- eastern Brazil.
- Oxymycterus hiska is only known from a small area in southeastern Peru and northwestern Bolivia. The species is endangered according to the IUCN.
- Oxymycterus hispidus lives in southeastern Brazil.
- Oxymycterus hucucha is only known from a small area of central Bolivia and is considered endangered.
- Oxymycterus inca lives in southern Peru and northern Bolivia.
- Oxymycterus josei occurs in Uruguay.
- Oxymycterus nasutus inhabits southeastern Brazil and Uruguay.
- Oxymycterus paramensis is common in the Andes from southern Peru to northern Argentina.
- Oxymycterus quaestor lives in southeastern Brazil and northeastern Argentina.
- Oxymycterus roberti is native to eastern Brazil.
- Oxymycterus rufus lives in eastern Argentina.
- Oxymycterus wayku has been reported from northern Argentina.
According to the IUCN , two species, O. hiska and O. hucucha , are endangered ( vulnerable ).
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 .
- Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ J. Pablo Jayat, Guillermo d'Elía, Ulyses FJ Pardiñas, M. Daniela Miotti, Pablo E. Ortiz: A new species of the genus Oxymycterus (Mammalia: Rodentia: Cricetidae) from the vanishing Yungas of Argentina. Zootaxa 1911, 2008, pp. 31-51
Web links
- Endangerment level of the individual species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .