Olallamys edax (Thomas, 1916)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6623649 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6624372 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C5A071-FFC9-FFFD-FFD8-5D615D1EFA7E |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Olallamys edax |
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Greedy Olalla Rat
French: Rat-épineux de Mérida / German: GroRe Olalla-Ratte / Spanish: Rata olalla glotona
Other common names: Venezuelan Soft-furred Spiny-rat
Taxonomy. Thrinacodus edax Thomas, 1916 ,
“Sierra de Mérida. Alt. 2800 m,” Mérida, Venezuela.
This species is monotypic.
Distribution. NW Venezuela, known only from the C Cordillera de Mérida area. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 225 mm, tail 345 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Greedy Olalla Rat has soft fur without spines or bristles. It is larger than the White-tailed Olalla Rat ( O. albicauda ), but like its congener, dorsal pelt is shaded reddish to brownish, belly is yellowish and contrasts only slightly with dorsum, and tail is ¢.153% of headbody length. Tail is sparsely furred and completely white along its ventral side, reddish brown basally and white distally, and partially white on its distal one-half. Measurements of craniodental variables are generally larger compared with the White-tailed Olalla Rat.
Habitat. Limited to bamboo stands in midto high-elevation montane forests in the Cordillera de Mérida in north-western Venezuela at elevations of ¢.2800 m.
Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Greedy Olalla Rat is probably folivorous, feeding primarily on bamboo.
Breeding. There is no information available for this species.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Greedy Olalla Rat is probably nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information available for this species, but Greedy Olalla Rats have been recorded producing whistle-like vocalizations at night.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Additional ecological studies of the Greedy Olalla Rat—a rare mountain endemic—are needed.
Bibliography. Allen (1914a), Eisenberg (1989), Emmons (1990, 1997a, 2005), Patton et al. (2015), Thomas (1916b), Woods (1993), Woods & Kilpatrick (2005).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
