Paramo mice
| Paramo mice | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Thomasomys | ||||||||||||
| Coues , 1884 |
The Paramo mice ( Thomasomys ) are a genus of rodents from the group of New World mice that lives in northwestern South America . They include around 35 species.
features
These rodents reach a head body length of 9 to 23 centimeters, the tail measures 9 to 33 centimeters. The weight is 60 to 340 grams, depending on the type. Their fur is soft, its color varies from olive-gray to red-brown to gray-black, the underside is usually lighter. The tail is relatively long and hairy.
Distribution and way of life
Paramo mice live in northwestern South America, their range extends from Venezuela and Colombia to Ecuador to Peru and Bolivia . They live both in forests and in the vegetation zone of the Paramo and occur up to an altitude of 4200 meters.
Little is known about the way of life, besides tree-dwelling species there are also ground-dwelling species.
According to the IUCN , none of the species is threatened, but this statement is out of date and is based on a lack of knowledge of many species.
The species
The exact number of species and their systematic classification is unknown, the genus needs revision. Wilson & Reeder (2005) list the following 36 species:
- Thomasomys apeco is only known from northern Peru. It is the largest species and was only discovered in 1993.
- Thomasomys aureus is distributed from Venezuela to Peru.
- Thomasomys baeops lives in western Ecuador.
- Thomasomys bombycinus lives in northern Colombia.
- Thomasomys caudivarius occurs in central and southern Ecuador.
- Thomasomys cinereiventer is based in southern Colombia.
- Thomasomys cinereus lives in northern Peru.
- Thomasomys cinnameus lives in northern Ecuador.
- Thomasomys daphne is distributed from southern Peru to western Bolivia.
- Thomasomys eleusis occurs in northern Peru.
- Thomasomys erro lives in northern Ecuador.
- Thomasomys gracilis lives in southern Peru.
- Thomasomys hudsoni is restricted to southern Ecuador.
- Thomasomys hylophilus lives in eastern Colombia and western Venezuela.
- Thomasomys incanus lives in central Peru.
- Thomasomys ischyrus is common in northern and central Peru.
- Thomasomys kalinowskii lives in central Peru.
- Thomasomys ladewi lives in northwestern Bolivia.
- Thomasomys laniger occurs in Colombia and Venezuela.
- Thomasomys macrotis was only discovered in 1993 and is restricted to northern Peru.
- Thomasomys monochromos lives in northern Colombia.
- Thomasomys niveipes is native to central Colombia.
- Thomasomys notatus lives in southeastern Peru.
- Thomasomys onkiro was only discovered in 2002 and lives in southeastern Peru.
- Thomasomys oreas lives in southern Peru and western Bolivia.
- Thomasomys paramorum occurs in Ecuador.
- Thomasomys popayanus lives in southern Colombia.
- Thomasomys praetor lives in northwestern Peru.
- Thomasomys pyrrhonotus is native to southern Ecuador and northern Peru.
- Thomasomys rhoadsi occurs in northern Ecuador.
- Thomasomys rosalinda lives in northern Peru.
- Thomasomys silvestris lives in northern Ecuador.
- Thomasomys taczanowskii is known from northern Peru and western Bolivia, the exact distribution area is unclear.
- Thomasomys ucucha was first described in 2003 and lives in northern Ecuador .
- Thomasomys vestitus lives in western Venezuela.
- Thomasomys vulcani lives in Ecuador.
Together with the genera Colombian wood mouse ( Chilomys ), Andean mice ( Aepeomys ) and climbing mice ( Rhipidomys ), which also live in the Andes of northern South America , they form the tribe of Thomasomyini. Contrary to earlier assumptions, they should not be closely related to genera living in southeastern Brazil such as the Atlantic wood rats ( Delomys ).
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 .
Web links
- Endangerment level of the individual species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .