Paraguay Comb rat
| Paraguay Comb rat | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ctenomys paraguayensis | ||||||||||||
| Contreras , 2000 |
The Paraguay crested rat ( Ctenomys paraguayensis ) is a species of crested rats . The species occurs in the southeast of Paraguay , where it has only been found at one site near the city of Ayolas .
features
The Paraguay comb rat reaches a head-trunk length of 16.6 to 17.4 centimeters with a tail length of 7.3 to 8.0 centimeters and a weight of 146 to 187 grams. The rear foot length is 35 to 37 millimeters. All information comes from three individuals who were used for the initial description . It is a medium-sized species of the genus. The back color is monotonous brown to sandy brown. The species has a lighter collar below the ears to the neck. The cheeks are lighter, there are no black marks on the face. The stomach side is creamy white and has no light spots in the armpits or the groin area. The tail is slightly two-tone with a darker top and a lighter underside.
The skull is comparatively delicate. The zygomatic arches are widened and are wider than the distance between the ear openings. The edge of the zygomatic arch has no foramen.
The karyotype consists of a double chromosome set of 2n = 52 chromosomes. The shape of the sperm is unknown.
distribution
The distribution area of the Paraguay crested rat is limited to the southeastern Paraguay , where it is only proven to be endemic at one site in Corate-í near the city of Ayolas in the Misiones department .
Way of life
As is the case with most species of comb rats, very little information is available about the way of life of the Paraguayan crested rat. Like all comb rats, it lives largely underground in duct systems that it creates in dry, sandy soils. The animals eat vegetarian food from the available plants, especially from above-ground parts of grass and leaves. They are loners (solitary).
Systematics
The Paraguay crested rat is classified as an independent species within the genus of crested rats ( Ctenomys ), which consists of around 70 species. The first scientific description of the species comes from the Argentine zoologist Julio Rafael Contreras in 2000, who described it using individuals from Corate-í near the city of Ayolas in the Misiones Department.
Apart from the nominate form, no subspecies are distinguished within the species .
Status, threat and protection
The Paraguayan Comb rat is currently not listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Paraguayan Tuco-tuco. In: TRO Freitas: Family Ctenomyidae In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (editor): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Lagomorphs and Rodents 1. (HMW, Volume 6) Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2016, p. 530. ISBN 978-84-941892-3-4 .
- ↑ Julio Rafael Contreras: Ctenomys paraguayensis, una nueva especie de roedor excavador procedente of the Paraguay Oriental (Mammalia, Rodentia, Ctenomyidae). Revista del Museo de Ciencias Naturales 2 (1), 2000; Pp. 61-68. PDF .
literature
- Paraguayan Tuco-tuco. In: TRO Freitas: Family Ctenomyidae In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (editor): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Lagomorphs and Rodents 1. (HMW, Volume 6) Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2016, p. 530. ISBN 978-84-941892-3-4 .