46.

Maria Farell’s Tuco-tuco

Ctenomys “mariafarelli’

French: Tuco-tuco de Farrell / German: Maria-Farell-Kammratte / Spanish: Tuco tuco de Maria Farell

Taxonomy. Ctenomys mariafarelli Azurduy, 2005,

“5.5 km al noreste de la localidad de Vallegrande (18°28’S, 64°08’0O; 1800 m), provincia Florida, del Departamento de Santa Cruz, Bolivia.”

Ctenomys “mariafarelli’ is not classified in any species group. Sperm form and karyotype are unknown. Monotypic.

Distribution. C Bolivia, known only from the type locality in NE Vallegrande.

Descriptive notes. Total length 291-205 mm (males) and 254-273 mm (females), tail 74-85 mm (males) and 73-81 mm (females), hindfoot 39-41 mm (males) and 33-38 mm (females); weight 307-364 g (males) and 173-227 g (females). Maria Farell’s Tuco-tuco is relatively large; females are smaller than males. Dorsum is brownish, showing poorly defined medial stripe, also brownish. It is supposedly closest to the Bolivian Tucotuco ( C. boliviensis) but does not have its typical collar. Flanks are light or ocherous, and venter is yellowish, with white inguinal and axillary spots. Skull of Maria Farell’s Tuco-tuco is narrow and elongated; zygomatic arches are slightly square, and tympanic bullae are moderately large and inflated. Nasal bones are wide posteriorly and taper anteriorly. Frontal region is narrow, and upper incisors are visibly proodont, large, and faced with orange enamel.

Habitat. There is no information available for this species.

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. Maria Farell’s Tuco-tuco has not yet been assessed on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Azurduy (2005), Bidau (2015).