45.

White-toothed Tuco-tuco

Ctenomys leucodon

French: Tuco-tuco a dents blanches / German: \WeiRzahnkammratte / Spanish: Tuco tuco de dientes blancos

Other common names: Titicaca Tuco-tuco

Taxonomy. Ctenomys leucodon Waterhouse, 1848,

“San Andrés de Machaca, ... south of the Lake Titicaca, Department of La Paz, Bolivia.” Restricted by O. Thomas in 1927 to “ca. 4,000 m, 16°44’ S 69°01’ W.”

Ctenomys leucodon is not classified in any species group. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 36 and FN = 68, and sperm form is unknown. Monotypic.

Distribution. Andean altiplano, in S Peru (Puno Region) and W Bolivia (La Paz Department).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 115-172 mm, tail 79-85 mm, ear 3-8, hindfoot 27-34 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The White-toothed Tuco-tuco is medium-sized. Dorsum is clay colored, with hairs of slate-gray at bases, clay-colored bands in middle, and ending in black tips. Tail is dark brown above and slightly paler below. Venter is near tawny-olive, and chest is reddish. Head and sides of muzzle are darker, and cheeks are buckthorn brown. Upper incisors of the White-toothed Tucotuco are quite different from other species of tuco-tucos, strongly procumbent and covered with white or pale yellowish white enamel.

Habitat. Altiplano open grasslands in primary habitat and areas disturbed by grazing. The White-toothed Tuco-tuco is fossorial and herbivorous; it eats underground tubers and roots. Colonies are found in areas with friable soils.

Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.

Breeding. A single pregnant White-toothed Tuco-tuco with one embryo was observed in August in Bolivia.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. White-toothed Tuco-tucos seems to be particularly non-vocal. They make large earthen mounds.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Anderson (1997), Anderson et al. (1987), Bidau (2015), Contreras & Bidau (1999), Parada et al. (2011), Pearson (1959b), Sanborn & Pearson (1947), Thomas (1927a).