Delomys dorsalis (Hensel, 1873)

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 204-535 : 412-413

364.

Striped Atlantic Forest Rat

Delomys dorsalis

French: Délomys sombre / German: Gestreifte Atlantische Waldratte / Spanish: Rata de bosque atléantico rayada

Other common names: Striped Delomys

Taxonomy. Hesperomys dorsalis Hensel, 1873 , “Stiden Brasiliens.” Restricted by F. D. de Avila-Pires in 1994 to “Taquara, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.”

Delomys dorsalis is the type species of the genus. A thorough revision by P. R. Goncalves and J. A. Oliveira in 2014 recommended dismissing recognition of subspecies based on morphological grounds, ranking D. dorsalis collinus a junior synonym of D. dorsalis . Monotypic.

Distribution. Atlantic Forest of SE & S Brazil and NE Argentina , mostly along coastal mountains.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 104-135 mm, tail 100-145 mm, ear 21-22 mm, hindfoot 25-31 mm; weight 20-56 g (mean 38 g). The Striped Atlantic Forest Rat is medium-sized species of Delomys , with soft and dense dorsal pelage, predominantly dark cinnamon-brown and without bright yellow lateral line or patch;tail as long as head-body length. Vibrissae are long, extending to or beyond tips of pinnae when laid back along head. There are 6-8 mammae. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 82, FN = 80.

Habitat. Submontane and montane forests frequently associated with Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae) from sea level to elevations above 2000 m.

Food and Feeding. The Striped Atlantic Forest Rat eats fruits, seeds, invertebrates, and fungi.

Breeding. Striped Atlantic Forest Rats are reproductively active year-round, although breeding activity is reduced in winter. Postpartum estrus occurs, gestation lasts 21-22 days, and litters have 2-5 young.

Activity patterns. The Striped Atlantic Forest Rat is nocturnal. It is reported to be primarily terrestrial, although individuals have remarkable scansorial abilities and can seasonally occur in subcanopy vegetation.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Striped Atlantic Forest Rats move among and shelter in clutters of logs, organic debris, mossy roots, tangled bamboo, and herbaceous understory rather than frequenting open areas on forest floor. Apparently, Striped Atlantic Forest Rats experience peaks of abundance related to availability of seeds of Araucaria angustifolia in mixed forests with conifers.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Striped Atlantic Forest Rat has a wide distribution and presumably large overall population.

Bibliography. de Avila-Pires (1994), Bonvicino & Geise (1995), Cademartori (2002), Cademartori et al. (2004, 2005), Dalmagro & Vieira (2005), Goncalves & Oliveira (2014), Hershkovitz (1998), Massoia (1962), Thomas (1917b), Vieira et al. (2006), Voss (1993, 2015a).

Figures

353. Bogota Grass Mouse (Neomicroxus bogotensts), 354. Ecuadorean Grass Mouse (Neomucroxus latebricola), 355. Altiplano Chinchilla Mouse (Chinchillula sahamae), 356. Small Red-nosed Tree Mouse (Juliomys pictipes), 357. Delicate Red-nosed Tree Mouse (Juliomys ossitenuis), 358. Montane Red-rumped Tree Mouse (Juliomys rimofrons), 359. Araucaria Forest Tree Mouse (Juliomys ximenezi), 360. Ruschi’s Spiny Mouse (Abrawayaomys ruschii), 361. Chebez’s Spiny Mouse (Abrawayaomys chebezi), 362. Montane Atlantic Forest Rat (Delomys altimontanus), 363. Pallid Atlantic Forest Rat (Delomys sublineatus), 364. Striped Atlantic Forest Rat (Delomys dorsalis), 365. North-western Conyrat (Reithrodon caurinus), 366. Naked-soled Conyrat (Reithrodon typicus), 367. Hairy-soled Conyrat (Reithrodon awritus), 368. Short-tailed Cane Mouse (Zygodontomys brevicauda), 369. Colombian Cane Mouse (Zygodontomys brunneus), 370. Ucayali South American Spiny Mouse (Scolomys ucayalensts), 371. Gray South American Spiny Mouse (Scolomys melanops), 372. Boquete Rice Rat (Nephelomys devius), 373. Santa Marta Rice Rat (Nephelomys maculiventer), 374. Mount Pirre Rice Rat (Nephelomys pirrensis), 375. Western Colombian Rice Rat (Nephelomys pectoralis), 376. Coastal Cordilleran Rice Rat (Nephelomys caracolus), 377. Merida Rice Rat (Nephelomys meridensis), 378. Child’s Rice Rat (Nephelomys childi), 379. White-throated Rice Rat (Nephelomys albigularis), 380. Greater Golden-bellied Rice Rat (Nephelomys aurirventer), 381. Gray-bellied Rice Rat (Nephelomys moerex), 382. Lesser Golden-bellied Rice Rat (Nephelomys nimbosus), 383. Keays’s Rice Rat (Nephelomys keaysi), 384. Nimble-footed Rice Rat (Nephelomys levipes), 385. Hammond's Rice Rat (Mindomys hammondi), 386. White-bellied Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys bicolor), 387. Yellow Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys flavicans), 388. Savanna Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys speciosus), 389. Long-furred Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys trinitatis), 390. Robert's Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys robert), 391. Unicolored Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys concolor), 392. Guianan Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys awyantepui), 393. King Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys rex), 394. Red Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys rutilus), 395. Brazilian Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys paricola), 396. Foothill Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys superans), 397. Dusky Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys phaeotis), 398. Mamore Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys mamorae), 399. Anderson’s Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys sydandersoni), 400. Franciscos’ Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys franciscorum), 401. Atlantic Forest Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys catherinae), 402. Cleber’s Arboreal Rice Rat (Oecomys cleber), 403. McConnell’s Rice Rat (Euryoryzomys macconnelli), 404. Emmons’s Rice Rat (Euryoryzomys emmonsae), 405. Big-headed Rice Rat (Euryoryzomys legatus), 406. Russet Rice Rat (Euryoryzomys russatus), 407. Bufty-sided Rice Rat (Euryoryzomys lamia), 408. Elegant Rice Rat (Euryoryzomys nitidus), 409. Long-whiskered Rice Rat (Transandinomys bolivaris), 410. Talamancan Rice Rat (Transandinomys talamancae), 411. Long-nosed Rice Rat “ Handleyomys (™ rostratus), 412. Chapman’s Rice Rat “ Handleyomys (” chapman), 413. Black-eared Rice Rat “ Handleyomys (™ melanotis), 414. Guerrero Rice Rat “ Handleyomys (™ guerrerensis), 415. Cloud Forest Rice Rat “ Handleyomys (” saturatior), 416. Highland Rice Rat “ Handleyomys (” rhabdops), 417. Alfaro’s Rice Rat “ Handleyomys (” alfaroi), 418. Colombian Western Andes Cloud Forest Mouse (Handleyomys fuscatus), 419. Colombian Central Andes Cloud Forest Mouse (Handleyomys intectus)

Distribution. Atlantic Forest of SE & S Brazil and NE Argentina , mostly along coastal mountains.