387.

Yellow Arboreal Rice Rat

Oecomys flavicans

French: Oecomys jaune / German: Gelbe Baumreisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera arboricola dorada

Other common names: Tawny Oecomys

Taxonomy. Oryzomys flavicans Thomas, 1894, “ Merida, Venezuela.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. N & W Colombia and N Venezuela; perhaps E into Delta Amacuro State, NE Venezuela.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 106-140 mm, tail 132-150 mm, ear 16-22 mm, hindfoot 25-27 mm; weight 50-70 g. The Yellow Arboreal Rice Rat is medium large, with soft, dense, and moderately long (8— 10 mm over middle rump) dorsal pelage. Head and back are bright ocherous tawny, transforming to rich ocherous lateral line along sides of body. Venter is typically dull white, spattered buff in some individuals, with encroachment of basally gray hairs over mid-abdomen. Demarcation between bright lateral line and whitish venter is sharp, with ocherous tones washing along borders of ventral fur in some specimens. Tail is ¢.115% of head-body length, brown on top, sides, and all around distal onefourth but pale brown below; and caudal hairs are short, revealing scale rows, without formation of tuft at tip.

Habitat. Dense, multilayered submontane and montane forests and agricultural areas from sea level to elevations of ¢.2000 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Litters of Yellow Arboreal Rice Rats have 3-6 young.

Activity patterns. Yellow Arboreal Rice Rats are nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Carleton & Musser (2015), Ferrer et al. (2009), Gémez-Laverde & Rivas (2016), Linares (1998), Soriano et al. (2013).