Pattonomys flavidus (Hollister, 1914)

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Echimyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 552-604 : 592

76.

Yellow Speckled Tree-rat

Pattonomys flavidus

French: Rat-épineux jaunatre / German: Gelbe Tupfelbaumratte / Spanish: Rata arboricola de manchas amarillas

Taxonomy. Loncheres flavidus Hollister, 1914 ,

“El Valle [= El Valle del Espiritu Santo], Margarita Island,” Nueva Esparta, Venezuela.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Margarita I, off the NC coast of Venezuela.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 252 mm, tail 248 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Yellow Speckled Tree-rat is medium-sized but larger than Carriker’s Speckled Tree-rat (P. carrikeri) and the Orinocan Speckled Tree-rat (P. punctatus). Upperparts of the Yellow Speckled Tree-rat are tinged brown and pale gray, with mid-dorsum mixed with yellow-buff or ocherous and black. Flanks are buffier than on other species of Pattonomys . Venter is cream, lacking any distinct pectoral or abdominal stripes. Dorsal fur has long and stiff black-tipped bristle guard hairs and broad spines that are conspicuously white tipped and abundant over rump and especially neartail. Finer underfur is ocherous or yellowish, which gives pelage an overall brown, ocherous, or yellowish tinge. Head and flanks are grayish. Tail is 98-101% of headbody length and reddish brown. Tail is covered with short hairs, and tail scales are visible. There are two pairs of lateral mammae. Skull of the Yellow Speckled Tree-rat shares narrowed rostrum, more spatulate nasals, and more inflated bullae of Carriker’s Speckled Tree-rat, but it differs from all other congeners by having zygomatic arches, when viewed dorsally, that taper anteriorly from jugal-squamosal suture, and strikingly deep mandible from below tooth rows to base of angular process.

Habitat. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Yellow Speckled Tree-rat is presumably arboreal judging from its overall morphology.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Yellow Speckled Tree-rat is presumably herbivorous.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Yellow Speckled Tree-ratis reportedly nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Xerophytic habitat on Isla Margarita is rapidly vanishing, and the Yellow Speckled Tree-rat might deserve Endangered status. Additional studies on distribution, habitat, abundance, ecology, and conservations threats are needed.

Bibliography. Allen & Chapman (1893), Emmons (2005), Hershkovitz (1948), Hollister (1914b), Patton et al. (2015), Pittier & Tate (1932), Tate (1935, 1939).

Figures

12. Broad-headed Spiny-rat (Clyomys laticeps), 13. Guiara (Euryzygomatomys spinosus), 14. White-spined Spiny-rat (Irinomys albispinus), 15. Elias’s Spiny-rat (Trinomys eliasi), 16. Rigid-spined Atlantic Spiny-rat (Trinomys paratus), 17. Yonenaga’s Spiny-rat (Trinomys yonenagae), 18. Elegant-spined Atlantic Spiny-rat (Trinomys setosus), 19. Moojen’s Spiny-rat (Trinomys moojeni), 20. Pau Brasil Spiny-rat (Trinomys mirapitanga), 21. Rio de Janeiro Spiny-rat (Trinomys dimidiatus), 22. Sao Paulo Spiny-rat (Trinomys thering), 23. Gracile Atlantic Spiny-rat (Trinomys gratiosus), 24. Sao Lourenco Punare (Thrichomys laurentius), 25. Jacobina Punare (Thrichomys inermis), 26. Lagoa Santa Punare (Thrichomys apereoides), 27. Pantanal Punare (Thrichomys pachyurus), 28. Foster’s Punare (Thrichomys fosteri), 29. Painted Tree-rat (Callistomys pictus), 30. Coypu (Myocastor coypus), 31. Armored Rat (Hoplomys gymnurus)

Distribution. Margarita I, off the NC coast of Venezuela.