547.

Pleasant Akodont

Necromys amoenus

French: Akodon aimable / German: Schone Graslandmaus / Spanish: Ratén cavador cordial

Other common names: Pleasant Bolo Mouse

Taxonomy. Akodon amoenus Thomas, 1900, “Calalla, Rio Colca, near Sumbay [Arequi-pa], Peru. Altitude 3500 metres.”

Necromys amoenus might be a composite of more than one form according to observed molecular divergences, but additional research is needed. Monotypic.

Distribution. SE Peru, W Bolivia, and NW Argentina .

Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-103 mm, tail 63-79 mm, ear 11-13 mm, hindfoot 19-23 mm; weight 25-5 g. See general characters of the genus under the Ecuadorean Akodont (N. punctulatus) account. The Pleasant Akodont is a small Andean species of Necromys . Dorsum is yellowish brown, finely streaked with black hair, with well-defined richly colored lateral line in some specimens; muzzle, side of head, and side of rest of body are yellowish buff. Venter is whitish or pure white, heavily contrasting rest of body; hairs on chin and, in some cases, throat are completely white. Vibrissae are relatively short, and ears are densely furred with hair of same general hue as muzzle. Most specimens have well-developed eye-rings. Forefeet and hindfeet have ocherous dorsal hue; claws are covered with dense tuft of hair. Tail is short, bicolored, dorsally ocherous brown or blackish brown, and ventrally white or ocherous.

Habitat. Altiplano grasslands and eastern Andean slopes, with rocky places intermingled with sparse grasses, on rocky soils among ferns and mosses, and barley fields surrounded by Polylepis (Rosaceae) woodlands, typically at elevations above 3200 m.

Food and Feeding. The Pleasant Akodont is mostly insectivorous, and feeds on arthropods as well as mycorrhizal spores and plants.

Breeding. Pleasant Akodonts with reproductive signals were recorded in late July.

Activity patterns. The Pleasant Akodont is terrestrial and diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Alvarez (2016), Anderson (1997), Anderson & Olds (1989), Dorst (1973b), Dunnum, Vargas, Ber nal, Zeballos, Vivar, Patterson, Jayat & Pardinas (2016a), Jayat, Ortiz & Miotti (2008), Jayat, Ortiz, Teta et al. (2006), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pacheco et al. (2009), Pardinas, Teta, Ortiz et al. (2015), Pizzimenti & de Salle (1980), Salazar-Bravo, Yensen et al. (2002), Thomas (19164).