Phyllotis anitae, 2007

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 : 528-529

743.

Anita’s Leaf-eared Mouse

Phyllotis anitae

French: Phyllotis d’Anita / German: Anita-Blattohrmaus / Spanish: Raton orejudo de Anita

Taxonomy. Phyllotis anitae Jayat et al., 2007 , 10 km by road south of Hualinchay on the trail to Lara, Tucuman, Argentina.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in NW Argentina .

Descriptive notes. Head-body 82-123 mm, tail 94-124 mm, ear 18-21 mm, hindfoot 27-31 mm; weight 20-5-50 g. Dorsal hairs of Anita’s Leaf-eared Mouse are mostly dark gray to black, with ocheroustips, and ¢.9 mm long. Sides and venter gradually blend to ocherous gray, without sharp contrast between dorsal and ventral areas. Ventral hairs are basally gray and distally ocherous. Ears are moderate in size, internally and externally covered by dark brownish to almost black hair. Mystacial vibrissae are abundant, some white and short and others black and long, extending beyond posterior margins of pinnae. Submental vibrissae are short and completely white. Manus and pes are generally dark and covered by dense and short hair. Digits and distal dorsum of manus show only white hair, contrasting with darker proximal carpus. Dorsal pes is uniformly drab. Soles of manus and pes are naked. Tail is slightly bicolored and moderately hairless, with ventral surface paler and more hairy than dorsal surface. There are four pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Ecotone between montane forest and high-elevation grasslands in upper elevational limit of Yungas, characterized by alder forests ( Alnus acuminata , Betulaceae ) and grassland communities dominated by Festuca hieronymi, Deyeuxia polygama, and Stipa eriostachya (all Poaceae ) at elevations of 1700-2800 m. Anita’s Leaf-eared Mice were trapped near isolated large rocks where soil was covered by abundantleaf litter.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Holotype of Anita’s Leaf-eared Mouse was a lactating female captured in late April.

Activity patterns. Anita’s Leaf-eared Mouse is mainly nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Anita’s Leaf-eared Mouse seems to be rare and specialized in high-elevation alder forests.

Bibliography. Jayat & Pardinas (2008b), Jayat, D'Elia et al. (2007), Steppan & Ramirez (2015).

Figures

725. Haggard’s Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis haggardi), 726. Andean Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis andium), 727. Peruvian Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis gerbillus), 728. Friendly Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis amicus), 729. Narrow-nasal Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis stenops), 730. Pearson’s Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis pearson), 731. Western Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis occidens), 732. Ancash Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis definitus), 733. Lima Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis limatus), 734. Master Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis magister), 735. Yellow-rumped Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis xanthopygus), 736. Osgood’s Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis osgoodi), 737. Bunch Grass Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis osilae), 738. Capricorn Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis caprinus), 739. Tucuman Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis tucumanus), 740. Walnut Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis nogalaris), 741. Darwin’s Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis darwinii), 742. Los Alisos Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis alisosiensis), 743. Anita’s Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis anitae), 744. Bonarian Leaf-eared Mouse (Phyllotis bonariensis), 745. Wolffsohn’s Leaf-eared Mouse 1 (apecomys wolffsohni), 746. Tapecua Leaf-eared Mouse (Tapecomys primus), 747. Southern Big-eared Mouse (Loxodontomys micropus), 748. Delicate Salt Flat Mouse (Salinomys delicatus), 749. Pearson’s Chaco Mouse (Andalgalomys pearsoni), 750. Olrog’s Chaco Mouse (Andalgalomys olrogi), 751. Garlepp’s Mouse (Galenomys garleppii), 752. Painted Big-eared Mouse (Auliscomys pictus), 753. Bolivian Big-eared Mouse (Auliscomys boliviensis), 754. Andean Big-eared Mouse (Auliscomys sublimis), 755. Sumichrast’s Vesper Rat (Nyctomys sumichrasti), 756. Yucatan Vesper Rat (Otonyctomys hatti), 757. Big-eared Climbing Rat (Ototylomys phyllotis), 758. La Pera Climbing Rat (Ototylomys chiapensis), 759. Peters’s Climbing Rat (Tylomys nudicaudus), 760. Chiapan Climbing Rat (Tylomys bullaris), 761. Tumbala Climbing Rat 1 (ylomys tumbalensis), 762. Watson’s Climbing Rat (Tylomys watsoni), 763. Fulvous-bellied Climbing Rat (Tylomys fulviventer), 764. Panama Climbing Rat (Tylomys panamensis), 765. Mira Climbing Rat (Tylomys mirae)

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in NW Argentina .