58.

Monte Tuco-tuco

Ctenomys viperinus

French: Tuco-tuco de Vipos / German: Trancas-Kammratte / Spanish: Tuco tuco de Vipos

Other common names: \ Vipos Tuco-tuco

Taxonomy. Ctenomys viperinus Thomas, 1926,

“Norco, near Vipos, 2500 m,” Departamento Trancas, Tucuman, Argentina, 26°29'8, 65° 22'W, 2500 m .

Ctenomys viperinus is not classified in any species group. Karyotype and sperm form are unknown. Monotypic.

Distribution. NW Argentina (N Tucuman Province), known only from the type locality and neighboring areas.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 213 mm, tail 76 mm, hindfoot 36 mm (all measurements from the adult male holotype). No specific data are available for body weight. The Monte Tuco-tuco is medium-sized. Overall color is warm brown above, paler and more drab below. Many individuals have blackened muzzles and crowns. White axillary patches are present in most individuals, while white inguinal spots are less common. Skull is rather small, with zygomatic arc markedly expanded and antorbital foramen widely open. Bullae are rather narrow. Upper incisors are broad and covered with rather dark orange enamel.

Habitat. Yungas ecoregion at elevations of 320-2500 m.

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

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

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 Lust.

Bibliography. Bidau (2015).