Brushtail Rat
| Brushtail Rat | ||||||||||||
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Brushtail Rat ( Octodontomys gliroides ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Octodontomys | ||||||||||||
| Palmer , 1903 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Octodontomys gliroides | ||||||||||||
| ( Gervais & d'Orbigny , 1844) |
The brushtail rat ( Octodontomys gliroides ) is a species of rodent from the family Octodontidae that lives in South America .
features
Brushtail rats reach a head body length of around 18 centimeters, the tail is as long as the body. The weight varies between 100 and 200 grams. Similar to the real chinchillas, their fur is very soft and dense, it is gray on the top and white on the underside. The eyes and ears are relatively large, the eponymous feature is the tail tassel, which is larger than that of the closely related degus .
distribution and habitat
These rodents are common in southwestern Bolivia , northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina . Their habitat are mountain regions and the plateau of the Altiplano , they occur in dry habitats at altitudes of 2000 to 5000 meters.
Way of life
Brushtail rats are likely to be crepuscular or nocturnal, and burrows under cacti and acacias as well as crevices and caves serve as shelter for them . Their food changes with the season. While they eat the legumes of acacias in winter , they tend to eat the fruits of cacti in summer .
Little is known about reproduction. After a gestation period of 100 to 110 days, the female gives birth to one to three young. These are refugees , they already have fur and their eyes are open. The known maximum age was over 7 years.
According to the IUCN, the brushtail rat is not an endangered species.
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 .
- M. Julieta Pérez, M. Mónica Díaz: Octodontomys gliroides (Rodentia: Octodontidae). Mammalian Species, 50 (963), Sep 17, 2018; Pp. 74-83. doi : 10.1093 / mspecies / sey010
Web links
- Octodontomys gliroides in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006 Posted by: J. Baillie, 1996. Accessed July 21 of 2008.