Lund water rat

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Lund water rat
Lectotype skull (Voss and Carleton, 1993, p. 6)

Lectotype skull (Voss and Carleton, 1993, p. 6)

Systematics
Family : Burrowers (Cricetidae)
Subfamily : Sigmodontinae
Oryzomyalia
Tribe : Oryzomyini
Genre : Lundomys
Type : Lund water rat
Scientific name of the  genus
Lundomys
Voss & Carleton , 1993
Scientific name of the  species
Lundomys molitor
( Winge , 1887)

The Lund water rat ( Lundomys molitor ) is a species of rodent from the group of New World mice that lives in South America .

These rodents reach a head body length of 16 to 24 centimeters, a tail length of 20 to 29 centimeters and a weight of 227 to 250 grams. Their fur is long and soft, and their tail is remarkably long and hairless. The fur is yellow-brown or brown on the back, becoming almost black towards the top, and light brown on the belly. The small ears are hairy, the hind feet are webbed and long, bristle-like hair.

Lund water rats are native to southern Brazil ( Rio Grande do Sul ) and Uruguay . They inhabit grasslands and forests and are always to be found near the water. They are nocturnal animals, adapted to aquatic life, that can swim well. They live in nests with a diameter of 30 centimeters, which are built in the reeds around 1 meter above the water. The species is likely to be a pure herbivore.

The species was initially only known from fossil finds from the Pleistocene . Live animals were later discovered, but initially described as a species of swamp rats ( Holochilus magnus ). But since it is the same species, the older name given to the fossil takes precedence.

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 .

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