Reithrodon auritus

• Main Authors: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2017
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Rodentia; Cricetidae; Reithrodon; Reithrodon auritus; Patagonia; Argentina; Rata; Tundra; Tierra del Fuego
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6727792; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6727792

367. Hairy-soled Conyrat Reithrodon auritus French: Reithrodon de Patagonie / German: Haarsohlige Kaninchenratte / Spanish: Rata conejo sin pelos Other common names: Bunny Rat Taxonomy. Mus auritus G. Fischer, 1814, type locality not given. Restricted by U. F.J. Pardinas and colleagues in 2015 to “probably near Pila, south side of the Salado River,” Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Three subspecies are recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. R.a.auritusG.Fischer,1814—CEArgentina. R.a.cuniculoidesWaterhouse,1837—SArgentinaandadjacentChile. R. a. flammarum Thomas, 1912 — Tierra del Fuego (extreme S Argentina and Chile); there is an unconfirmed record from the FalklandsIs. Descriptive notes. Head-body 126-141 mm, tail 79-95 mm, ear 23-25 mm, hindfoot 32-34 mm; weight 52-116 g (mean 80 g). Males and females are the same size. See general characters of the genus under the North-western Conyrat (R. caurinus) account. The Hairy-soled Conyrat is large and soft-furred, with enormous eyes, moderately short tail, long rather furry ears, and tuft of pale fur at bases of ears. Soles of hindfeet are furry, and first and fifth toes are very short, not reaching beyond bases of middle three toes. Soles are more densely haired than in the Naked-soled Conyrat (R. typicus); tail is bicolored. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 34, FN = 32. Habitat. Open habitats from prairies and natural grasslands or deeply transformed agroecosystems in central Argentina, to steppes and shrublands in northern Patagonia, tablelands and extensive rocky areas in central Patagonia, and grassy steppes and tundra in southernmost South America from sea level to elevations of ¢.2200 m. The Hairy-soled Conyrat is most common in treeless open habitats, such as steppes and prairies, usually near green grass. Food and Feeding. The Hairy-soled Conyrat is herbivorous. In south-eastern Buenos Aires province, stomach contents consisted only of grasses, especially Poa spp. and Lolium multiflorum (both Poaceae). Composition of fecal pellets collected from live-trap ...