Oligoryzomys arenalis (Thomas, 1913)

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 : 433-434

434.

Sandy Pygmy Rice Rat

Oligoryzomys arenalis

French: Colilargo des sables / German: Sand-Zwergreisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera pigmea de arena

Other common names: Sandy Colilargo

Taxonomy. Oryzomys arenalis Thomas, 1913 , Etén, Lambayeque, Peru.

Taxonomy uncertain. Nomenclatorial status with respect to Mus peruvianus Peale, 1848, tenously allied to Oligoryzomys by several authors, was formally solved with the recent selection of a lectotype belonging to Mus musculus from the material collect ed by the famous US Exploring Expedition. However, in the original description, T. R. Peale (page 51) recorded the length of the tail of peruvianus as larger than the head-body, a measurement hard to reconciliate with typical M. musculus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Coastal plains of W Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 80 mm, tail 100 mm, hindfoot 21 mm (holotype). No specific data are available for body weight. The Sandy Pygmy Rice Rat is one of the smallest species of Oligoryzomys . Dorsum is clay over underlying buffy, lined with dark brown; head is slightly grayer and less buffy; sides are buffy, with somewhat buffy line separating dorsum and venter; underparts are creamy white, with slight buffy tint and slaty bases to hairs; ear are only slightly darker than dorsum; chin is white; dorsal surfaces of forefeet and hindfeet are white; and tail is long and bicolored, brown above and creamy white below.

Habitat. Arid and semiarid coastal plain; restricted to hydromorphic vegetation patches close to rivers and lagoons at edges of small swamps or irrigating ditches.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Fisher & Ludwig (2014), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1914b), Peale (1848), Tate (1932e), Trouessart (1897), Weksler & Bonvicino (2015b), Zeballos & Vivar (2016b), Zeballos et al. (2001).

Figures

420. Western Amazonian Rice Rat (Hylaeamys perenensis), 421. Yungas Rice Rat (Hylaeamys yunganus), 422. Azara’s Rice Rat (Hylaeamys megacephalus), 423. Tate’s Rice Rat (Hylaeamys tatei), 424. Sowbug Rice Rat (Hylaeamys oniscus), 425. Bolivian Rice Rat (Hylaeamys acritus), 426. Atlantic Forest Rice Rat (Hylaeamys laticeps), 427. Fulvous Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys fulvescens), 428. Costa Rican Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys costaricensis), 429. Sprightly Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys vegetus), 430. Delicate Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys delicatus), 431. Grayish Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys griseolus), 432. Hairy Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys messorius), 433. Tschudi’s Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys destructor), 434. Sandy Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys arenalis), 435. Andean Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys andinus), 436. Small-eared Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys macrotis), 437. Utiariti Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys utiaritensis), 438. Straw-colored Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys stramineus), 439. Mato Grosso Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys mattogrossae), 440. Moojen’s Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys moojeni), 441. Highlands Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys rupestris), 442. Black-footed Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys nigripes), 443. San Javier's Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys brendae), 444. Chacoan Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys chacoensts), 445. Fornes’s Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys fornest), 446. Yellow Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys flavescens), 447. Long-tailed Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), 448. Painted Bristly Mouse (Neacomys pictus), 449. Narrow-footed Bristly Mouse (Neacomys tenuipes), 450. Guianan Bristly Mouse (Neacomys guianae), 451. Paracou Bristly Mouse (Neacomys paracou), 452. Dubost’s Bristly Mouse (Neacomys dubosti), 453. Large Bristly Mouse (Neacomys spinosus), 454. Pleasant Bristly Mouse (Neacomys amoenus), 455. Vargas Llosa’s Bristly Mouse (Neacomys vargasllosai), 456. Minute Bristly Mouse (Neacomys minutus), 457. Musser’s Bristly Mouse (Neacomys musseri)

Distribution. Coastal plains of W Peru.