337.

Voss’s Fish-eating Rat

Neusticomys vossi

French: Ichthyomys de Voss / German: Voss-Fischratte / Spanish: Rata pescadora de Voss

Other common names: \ Voss's Ichthyomyine

Taxonomy. Neusticomys vossi Hanson et al., 2015, 12 km by road north-west of Cosanga, Napo Province, Ecuador.

Neusticomys vossi was recently recognized as a distinct species, based mainly on molecular grounds, from populations previously referred to N. monticolus . Monotypic.

Distribution. E slopes of Andes in S Colombia and N&C Ecuador.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 97-111 mm, tail 92-108 mm, hindfoot 24-27 mm; weight 32 g. Voss’s Fish-eating Ratis the smallest ichthyomyine, apparently with less advanced aquatic specialization. Dorsum is dull grayish or black, contrasting with slightly lighter venter. Mystacial vibrissae and oral margins are usually silver. Tail has whitish hairs along ventral surface and occasionally white tip. Some individuals may have white midpectoral blazes and irregular whitish dorsal spotting. Manus and pes are covered with whitish silver hairs that turn dark at wrists, ankles, and metapodials. Voss’s Fish-eating Rat can be distinguished from other species of Neusticomys, except the Montane Fish-eating Rat (N. monticolus), by having dull grayish pelage rather than brownish.

Habitat. Rocky streams in montane forest at elevations of 1900-3750 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. An adult female Voss’s Fish-eating Rat was captured with two large embryos in mid-May, and another was lactating in August.

Activity patterns. Voss’s Fish-eating Rats is semi-aquatic.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Brito & Ojala-Barbour (2016), Hanson et al. (2015), Voss (1988).