Patagonian chinchilla mice
| Patagonian chinchilla mice | ||||||||||||
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| Euneomys | ||||||||||||
| Coues , 1874 | ||||||||||||
The Patagonian chinchilla mice ( Euneomys ) are a genus of rodents from the group of New World mice living in South America . They include 4 types.
These rodents are mice-like, stocky-built animals. They reach a head body length of 9 to 16 centimeters, the tail is relatively short with 5 to 10 centimeters. The weight is only known of the species E. chinchilloides , it is 60 to 120 grams. The fur is reddish-brown or brown on the upper side, the belly is light gray and the paws are white.
Patagonian chinchilla mice live in Argentina and Chile - especially in the southern parts ( Patagonia ) including the island of Tierra del Fuego . They prefer open habitats such as grasslands and scrubland, but also rocky areas.
They are skilled climbers, but they are also good at digging - the E. fossor species in particular is adapted to a digging way of life. These animals live at least partially in colonies and feed on various plant materials.
There are four types:
- Euneomys chinchilloides lives on Tierra del Fuego and in the extreme south of Chile.
- Euneomys fossor is only known from northern Argentina.
- Euneomys mordax occurs in southwest Argentina and the neighboring regions of Chile.
- Euneomys petersoni lives in western Argentina and Chile.
E. mordax and E. petersoni are often combined with E. chinchilloides to form one species.
These animals are closely related to the rabbit rats ( Reithrodon ) and are classified in the tribe Reithrodontini within the Sigmodontinae .
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 .