561.

Cloud Forest Grass Mouse

Akodon torques

French: Akodon de Machu Picchu / German: Nebelwald-Graslandmaus / Spanish: Raton campestre de bosque nuboso

Other common names: Cloud Forest Akodont

Taxonomy. Microxus torques Thomas, 1917, “Matchu [Machu] Picchu, 10,000 ft [= 3048 m],” Cusco, Peru .

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. SE Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 104 mm, tail 91 mm, hindfoot 24-5 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Cloud Forest Grass Mouse is a mediumsized species of Akodon . General pelage is soft and woolly, dorsally smoky to olivaceous gray and slightly paler ventrally. Ears are short and colored like dorsum; forefeet and hindfeet are grayish brown above, with soles flesh-colored, not blackish; and tail is finely haired and brown above.

Habitat. Primary and secondary montane humid forest, elfin forest in dense moss mats under canopies formed by trees or large shrubs, and grassland and cultivated areas close to forest habitat at elevations of 2000-3800 m.

Food and Feeding. The Cloud Forest Grass Mouse mainly eats arthropod larvae, arthropods, plant parts, seeds, and mycorrhizal spores.

Breeding. Most female Cloud Forest Grass Mice captured in May and July were nulliparous. None were pregnant, but they had 2—4 embryo scars. Most males at the same time were not in reproductive condition.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Abundance of Cloud Forest Grass Mice varies seasonally.

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

Bibliography. Myers et al. (1990), Pardinas, Teta, Alvarado-Serrano et al. (2015), Patton & Smith (1992b), Sahley et al. (2015), Salas et al. (2013), Solari (2007), Zeballos & Vivar (2016h).