740.

Walnut Leaf-eared Mouse

Phyllotis nogalaris

French: Phyllotis des noyers / German: \Walnuss-Blattohrmaus / Spanish: Raton orejudo de nogal

Taxonomy. Phyllotis nogalaris Thomas, 1921, “Higuerilla, 2000 m,” Valle Grande, Jujuy, Argentina.

U. F. J. Pardinas and colleagues in 2007 equated Higuerilla (an abandoned ranch) to the village of Pampichuela. Phyllotis nogalaris was recently removed from P. osilae based on to molecular results; its alpha-taxonomy is still poorly explored. Monotypic.

Distribution. NW Argentina (Jujuy Province and probably Salta provinces).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 118-137 mm, tail 130-149 mm, ear 22-23 mm, hindfoot 31-33 mm; weight 43-82 g. The Walnut Leaf-eared Mouse is moderately large, with dense, soft, and richly colored fur. Dorsum is uniform obscure buffy brown, but eye rings are notorious blackish; flanks are striking yellowish orange, with fringe extended from cheeks to rump; venter is buffy white, with ocherous pectoralstreak; and tail is relatively dark and bicolored along most ofits length, except entirely blackish distal end.

Habitat. Upper-forested belts ofYungas from montane forests at elelvations of ¢.1200 m to ecotone grasslands at almost 3100 m. The Walnut Leaf-eared Mouse is recorded in forests with “nogales” ( Juglans australis, Juglandaceae), alder ( Alnus acuminata, Betulaceae), and Polylepis (Rosaceae), intermingled with high-elevations grasslands.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Walnut Leaf-eared Mice caught in June (winter) had no reproductive signals; breeding probably occurs in spring and summer.

Activity patterns. The Walnut Leaf-eared Mouse is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Diaz & Barquez (2007), Heinonen & Bosso (1994), Hershkovitz (1962), Jayat, Ortiz et al. (2016), Pardinas et al. (2007), Pearson (1958), Thomas (1921g).