475.

Maracaju Rice Rat

Cerradomys maracajuensis

French: Cerradomys de Maracaju / German: Maracuja-Cerradomaus / Spanish: Rata arrocera de Maracaju

Other common names: Maracaju Oryzomys

Taxonomy. Oryzomys maracajuensis Langguth & Bonvicino, 2002, Fazenda da Mata, Maracaju Municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Extreme SE Peru (Puno Region), Bolivia, Paraguay, and SC Brazil.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 140-185 mm, tail 171-227 mm, hindfoot 34-43 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Dorsum of the Maracaju Rice Rat is grizzled and brown or yellowish, strongly lined with black. Lateral color is lighter than dorsum. Venter is intense yellow, buffy or grayish buff. Tailis slightly bicolored. Skull is heavily built, large, and robust. Mesopterygoid fossa is fully ossified or with narrow sphenopalatine vacuities. Incisors are opisthodont, and molars are pentalophodont, with well-developed mesolophid. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 56, FN = 54.

Habitat. Open bush and grasses environments, gallery forest, and seasonally flooded areas.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Pregnant Maracaju Rice Rats were caught in June and September, with two and four embryos.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Anderson (1997), Langguth & Bonvicino (2002), Percequillo (2015b), Percequillo, Hingst-Zaher & Bonvicino (2008).