629.

Snow-footed Oldfield Mouse

Thomasomys niveipes

French: Thomasomys a pattes blanches / German: Schneefuf 3-Paramomaus / Spanish: Raton de erial de pies blancos

Other common names: Snow-footed Thomasomys, White-footed Thomasomys

Taxonomy. Oryzomys niveipes Thomas, 1896, “La Oya [= Hoya] del Barro [Blanco, head of the Rio Teusaca], W. Cundinamarca, Colombia.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. E Andes Range in C Colombia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 110-135 mm, tail 115-133 mm, ear 17-22 mm, hindfoot 24-30 mm; weight 26-44 g. The Snow-footed Oldfield Mouse is mediumsized, with comparatively short tail (96 122% of head-body length) and moderately sized ears. Dorsum is dull olive-fulvous, darker mesially, paler on sides and below, with fulvous tone on ventral surface, and indistinctly countershaded. Forefeet are silvery white. Tail is brown, incipiently bicolored, and thinly haired, without whitish tip. Mystacial vibrissae are moderately long, extending slightly beyond posterior margin of pinnae when bent. Hindfoot is of medium length; metatarsals are silvery white. Chromosomal complementis 2n = 24 and FN = 42.

Habitat. Paramo at elevations of 2550-3500 m.

Food and Feeding. The Snow-footed Oldfield Mouse eats young leaves and other green plant part.

Breeding. A pregnant Snow-footed Oldfield Mouse was captured in July.

Activity patterns. The Snow-footed Oldfield Mouse is terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Calderén-Capote et al. (2016), Gomez-Laverde et al. (1997), Lopez-Arévalo et al. (1993), Pacheco (2003, 2015b), Roach (2016b).