380.

Greater Golden-bellied Rice Rat

Nephelomys auriventer

French: Néphélomys a ventre doré / German: GroRRe Goldbauch-Reisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera de vientre dorado grande

Other common names: Ecuadorean Rice Rat, Golden-bellied Oryzomys, Greater Golden-bellied Nephelomys

Taxonomy. Oryzomys auriventer Thomas, 1899, “Mirador, below Banos, on the Upper Pastaza River, [Tungurahua,] E. Ecuador. Altitude 1500 m.”

Peruvian populations assigned to N. auriventer probably are a different species, but additional research is needed to clarify this. Monotypic.

Distribution. A few isolated localities in E Andes Range of C Ecuador (upper Rio Pastaza drainage) and SC Peru (Rio Apurimac drainage).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 140-173 mm, tail 160-191 mm, hindfoot 37-9 mm, ear 27-28 mm; weight 115-120 g. The Greater Golden-bellied Rice Rat is large, with short harsh fur. Dorsum is ocherous yellow or orange yellow to orange golden, densely grizzled with brown. Venteris light yellowish to intensely golden, and white gular patches are typically absent. Hindfeet are tan on dorsal surfaces. Tail is indistinctly bicolored or uniformly colored. Interorbital region is slightly to strongly convergent anteriorly, with sharply angled supraorbital margins. Chromosomal complement of a Peruvian specimen was 2n = 70, FN = 84.

Habitat. Primary and secondary subtropical forest at elevations of 1140-2950 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Greater Golden-bellied Rice Rat is terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as [Least Concern on The IUCNRed List. In Ecuador, the Greater Golden-bellied Rice Rat is uncommon. In Peru,it is known from one locality in the Rio Apurimac drainage.

Bibliography. Brito, Tinoco & Sornoza (2015), Eisenberg & Redford (1999), Pacheco et al. (2009), Percequillo (2015q), Weksler (2016).