Proechimys kulinae, da Silva, 1998

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 : 575-576

44.

Kulina Spiny-rat

Proechimys kulinae

French: Rat-épineux des Kulinas / German: Kulina-Kurzstachelratte / Spanish: Rata espinosa de Kulina

Taxonomy. Proechimys kulinae da Silva, 1998 ,

“Seringal Condor, left bank Rio Jurua, 70°51°W, 6°45’S, Amazonas, Brazil.”

Proechimys kulinae is a memberof the gardnerrspecies group. Monotypic.

Distribution. W Amazon Basin in NE Peru (S of the Amazon River) and W Brazil (middle Rio Jurua).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 144—

190 mm, tail 95-140 mm; weight 130-170 g.

The Kulina Spiny-rat is one of the smallest species of Proechimys , certainly the smallest in the western Amazon. It is ofslight build, with short ears (20 mm), short hindfeet (41 mm), and tail ¢.70% of head-body length. Dorsal color is uniform reddish brown, coarsely streaked with varying amounts of black on dorsum and sides. Venter, chin, and undersurfaces of forelimb and hindlimbs are pure white; upper lips are dark and generally lack patches of white hair; tarsal joint is either ringed by dark and rusty hair, ortarsal ring is interrupted by white hair confluent with that of undersurfaces of hindlimbs. Dorsal surface of hindfoot, including digits, is white, with golden tones in some individuals. Only five tubercles are typically present on plantar surfaces, with hypothenar pad lacking in most specimens. Tail appears almost naked, is distinctly bicolored with dark brown above and white below, and has larger scales than other species in the group (averaging 9 annuli/cm at mid-length). Dorsal pelage is spiny to the touch,interspersed with moderately thick (0-8-0-9 mm) but short (17-18 mm) dark brown aristiform hairs that form darker medial band contrasting with sides of body. Tip of each aristiform is blunt. Skull of the Kulina Spiny-ratis relatively small, has short and narrow rostrum, and well-developed supraorbital ledges extend onto anterior parts of parietals. Post-orbital process of zygoma is well developed and formed mostly by squamosal. Floor of infraorbital foramenis generally smooth, without demonstrable groove for maxillary nerve. Incisive foramina are mostly square to oval in shape, with nearly flat posterolateral margins; anterior palate is smooth, lacking grooves extending posteriorly from incisive foramina and median ridge; premaxillary part of septum is short, extending for less than one-half the length of foramen; maxillary part is variable, attenuate to expanded anteriorly, and usually in contact with premaxillary part; and vomer is either completely enclosed or only barely visible. Mesopterygoid fossa is narrow, with angle of indentation averaging 57°; it is moderately deep, usually extending well into M®. All upper cheekteeth have three lateral folds, although M? may, on occasion, have only two. Lower cheekteeth are uniform with four folds on dP, three on M and M,, and only two on M,. Counterfold formula is thus 3-3-3-3(2) /4-3-3-2. Baculum is elongate (length 5-4-8-2 mm) and relatively narrow (proximal width 1-6 2.1 mm, distal width 1-7-2-6 mm), with stout and short apical extensions; proximal and distal ends are about equal width. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 34 and FN = 52 in eastern Peru.

Habitat. Primary and secondary lowland rainforest in seasonally non-inundated regions (terra firma) at elevations of 120-180 m.

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

Breeding. In the Rio Jurua Basin, all Kulina Spiny-rats were captured in dry season months; five of 18 adult females were pregnant, each containing 1-2 embryos (modal count of one). It is not known if breeding also extends into the rainy season.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but trapping records of Kulina Spiny-rats suggest nocturnal habits.

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

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Kulina Spinyrats are known from very few localities, one of which is within the Javari Indigeneous Territory in western Brazil. Overall, distribution of the Kulina Spiny-rat covers mostly pristine areas under no apparent threats, but additional studies on distribution, habitat, abundance, ecology, and threats are needed to properly evaluate its conservation status.

Bibliography. Patton & Leite (2015), Patton et al. (2000), da Silva (1998), Woods & Kilpatrick (2005).

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. W Amazon Basin in NE Peru (S of the Amazon River) and W Brazil (middle Rio Jurua).