424.

Sowbug Rice Rat

Hylaeamys oniscus

French: Oryzomys du Pernambuco / German: Assel-Reisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera cochinita

Other common names: Northern Atlantic Forest Hylaeamys

Taxonomy. Oryzomys oniscus Thomas, 1904, Sao lLourenco da Mata, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Hylaeamys oniscus, now a distinct species, was removed from the traditional concept of Oryzomys laticeps . Monotypic.

Distribution. NE Brazil, N of Rio Sao Francisco, in the states of Paraiba, Pernambuco, and Alagoas.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 140-162 mm (mean 147), tail 135-162 mm (mean 147), ear 20-28 mm, hindfoot 27-35 mm; weight 57-95 g. The Sowbug Rice Rat is moderately large, with tail shorter than head-body length and hindfeet robust, with fleshy and large plantar pads and sparse ungual tufts shorter than claws. Dorsal fur is short and harsh, overall yellowish to buffy heavily ticked with dark brown; ventral fur is short and predominantly grayish; tail is bicolored basally and unicolored distally; and ears are sparsely covered with reddish brown (more so dorsally) or yellowish (more so ventrally) hairs. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 52, FN = 62.

Habitat. Disturbed and mature evergreen and semideciduous humid forests of the coastal Atlantic Forest ecoregion from sea level to an elevation of nearly 400 m.

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 Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Brennand (2010), Brennand et al. (2013), Maia (1990), Percequillo (1998, 2015e), Percequillo & Langguth (2008).