448.

Painted Bristly Mouse

Neacomys pictus

French: Néacomys coloré / German: Bunte Stachelreisratte / Spanish: Raton erizado pintado

Other common names: Painted Neacomys

Taxonomy. Neacomys pictus Goldman, 1912, Cana, 1300 ft = 549 m), Darién, Panama.

The genus Neacomys includes small sigmodontines covered by short spines in dorsal fur, with small ears, moderately long vibrissae, eight mammae, and tails equal or slightly longer than head-body length. Relationship and status of this genus deserve reexamination. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from extreme E Panama.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 60-88 mm, tail 74-87 mm, ear 12-15 mm, hindfoot 20-23 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Painted Bristly Mouse is slightly larger than the Narrow-footed Bristly Mouse (N. tenuipes). Dorsum of the Painted Bristly Mouse is orange rufous, mixed with black, resulting in a grizzled effect; black is predominant on head, middle of face, and lower part of back; sides, shoulders and cheeks are paler, more ocherous buff; underparts, including lips and undersides of forearms, are white; hairs are pure white to roots on throat, becoming somewhat duller and faintly plumbeous basally on belly; nose and eye-rings are dusky; feet are white; tail is dark brown above, lighter below to near tip, which is dark all-round.

Habitat. Montane forests, recorded only at elevations of 550-600 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 Data Deficient on The [UCN Red List.

Bibliography. Goldman (1912b), Musser & Carleton (2005), Reid (2009), Reid & Samudio (2008).