499.

Ica Rice Rat

Aegialomys ica

French: Oryzomys d'lca / German: Ica-Reisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera de Ica

Other common names: Ica Aegialomys

Taxonomy. Oryzomys xanthaeolus ica Osgood, 1944, near Ica, Hacienda San Jacinto, Ica, Peru.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. W Peru, from Ancash S to Arequipa regions; an additional published record from Puno Region seems dubious.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 110-175 mm, tail 110-200 mm; weight 46-98 g. Dorsal pelage of the Ica Rice Rat is soft, lax, dense, and long, with yellowish to ocherous wool (9-12 mm) and cover hairs (16-18 mm), intensely grizzled with brown guard hairs (18-24 mm), resulting in ocherous cream, grizzled with brown. Venter is grayish cream;tail is hirsute and slightly shorter than head-body length, densely covered with hairs, and weakly bicolored, with c.18 large scales/cm and without terminal tuft. Dorsal surface of hindfoot is covered by very long and white hair. Ears are creamy and yellowish. Interdigital and plantar pads are developed, and thenar and hypothenar are fleshy. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 56, FN = 58.

Habitat. Arid ecosystems including arid desert, lomas, and coastal wetlands from sea level to elevations of ¢.2200 m. The Ica Rice Ratis frequently recorded under scrub roots, in crops, and near human dwellings.

Food and Feeding. Ica Rice Rats eat parts of plants such as leaves, flowers, pollen, fruits, and seeds, which include mainly Croton sp. (Euphorbiaceae), Lycopersicon peruvianum ( Solanaceae), Capparis prisca ( Capparaceae), and Erigeron leptorhizon ( Asteraceae). They also eat fungi and animals (arthropods and rodent hairs) in low percentages. There is no difference in stomach contents of males and females.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Ica Rice Rat is nocturnal. It is terrestrial and scansorial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List as a distinct species. [UCN considers it conspecific with the Yellowish Rice Rat (A. xanthaeolus), which is classified as Least Concern.

Bibliography. Guabloche et al. (2002), Osgood (1944), Percequillo (2015k), Prado & Percequillo (2016, 2017), Villegas et al. (2017).