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Cursorial Grass Mouse

Akodon cursor

French: Akodon courseur / German: Eilige Graslandmaus / Spanish: Raton campestre corredor

Other common names: Cursor Grass Mouse, Cursorial Akodont

Taxonomy. Habrothrix cursor Winge, 1887, “Lagoa Santa,” Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Akodon cursoris one of the most studied species in the genus, partially rivaling A. azarae . An undescribed species of Akodon usually mentioned in the literature as “ Akodon 2n = 10” and mostly distributed in and restricted to central Brazil (Mato Grosso and Para states) 1s morphologically very similar to A. cursor . Records for Argentina belong to A. montensis . Monotypic.

Distribution. E Brazil, from Paraiba to Parana states.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 120 and 115 mm, tail 93 and 90 mm, ear 19 and 18 mm, hindfoot 27 and 26 mm; weight 54 and 43 g (mean values for males and females,respectively). Males are larger, on average, than females. The Cursorial Grass Mouse is a large species of Akodon . Dorsum is dark to golden brown, with agouti covering ears. Venter is gray or yellowish, sometimes with white hair in gular area.

Habitat. Primary, secondary, and extremly disturbed Atlantic Forest habitats and, more rarely, Cerrado and Caatinga from sea level to elevations of ¢.2000 m.

Food and Feeding. The Cursorial Grass Mouse is omnivorous; food preferences apparently varied according to environmental conditions. Wild individuals had diets primarily composed of leaf-litter arthropods: Hymenoptera at 68-4% was the most frequent order in feces, followed by Arachnida (36:8%), Coleoptera (42-1%), Lepidoptera (15-8%), Hemiptera (21-1%), Diptera (5-3%), and Isoptera (15-8%). Cecropia (Urticacea) seeds and other non-identified seeds were found in 11-1% and 88:9%, respectively, of fecal samples. Captive individuals feed primarily on arthropods, roots, fruits, and seeds.

Breeding. Captured female Cursorial Grass Mice were sexually active year-round, although there was a decrease during the coldest months (June-August), with rainfall affecting pregnancy rates. In captivity, gestation was normally 23 days, and postpartum estrus was observed in 53% of females in a sample of 389 litters, occurring 1-5 days after birth. Litters had 1-10 young (mean 4-6), with no skew in sex ratio. Birth weight averaged 3-9 g for males and females. Pregnant females build globular nests in captivity and rarely abandon their litters.

Activity patterns. The Cursorial Grass Mouse is terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Cursorial Grass Mice frequently move up to 30 m. Mean residency of individuals was 4:5 months (n = 36). Individual home ranges were 0-12-0-68 ha (overall mean 0-28 ha, n = 24); mean home range of males (0-37 ha) was significantly larger than that of females (0-19 ha).

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

Bibliography. Bergallo & Magnusson (1999), de Carvalho et al. (1999), Cerqueira, Gentile et al. (1993), Cer queira, Santori et al. (2003), Christoff, Geise et al. (2016), De Conto (2007), da Fonseca & Kierulff (1989), Geise (2012), Geise, Canavez & Seuanez (1998), Geise, Marroig & Pereira (2007), Geise, de Moraes & Silva (2005), Geise, Smith & Patton (2001), Gentile & Cerqueira (1995), Gentile & Fernandez (1999), Gentile, D’Andrea & Cer queira (1997), Gentile, DAndrea, Cerqueira & Maroja (2000), Mello & Mathias (1987), de Oliveira & Langguth (2004), Pardini (2004), Pardinas (2003), Pardinas, Teta, Alvarado-Serrano et al. (2015), Pereira & Geise (2007), Prevedello et al. (2008), Stallings (1989), Ximénez & Langguth (1970).