441.

Highlands Pygmy Rice Rat

Oligoryzomys rupestris

French: Colilargo des rochers / German: Hochland-Zwergreisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera pigmea de tierras altas

Other common names: Highlands Colilargo

Taxonomy. Oligoryzomys rupestris Weksler & Bonvicino, 2005, Pouso Alto, in the highest part of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, at 1500 m, Goias, Brazil.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from a few localities in Bahia, Goias, and Minas Gerais states, EC Brazil.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 76-99 mm, tail 114-138 mm, ear 10-16 mm, hindfoot 20-25 mm; weight 10-20 g.

The Highlands Pygmy Rice Rat is a small species of Oligoryzomys, characterized by grizzled yellowish brown pelage, with gray head and light gray cheeks, composed of long and dark guard hairs and slightly shorter overhairs, with distal one-third of total length brownish yellow and the remaining two-thirds of total length light gray. Sides are yellowish, with less and lighter guard hairs than dorsum and with moderately defined delineation from venter. Bases of ventral hairs are light gray, except for small region of neck with completely white hairs. Inner sides of pinnae have light brown hairs. Whitish subauricular patches occur immediately ventral to pinnae bases. Dorsal surfaces of feet are covered with white hairs, and tufts of longer hairs occur at bases of pedal claws. Tail is unicolored, gray above and below. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 46, FN = 52, the lowest known diploid number among species of Oligoryzomys .

Habitat. High-elevation “campos rupestres” (shrubby montane savanna) in Cerrado biome of central Brazil.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Highlands Pygmy Rice Rat occurs in at least two conservation, but it is listed as endangered on the official list of threatened species of Brazil because ofits restricted distribution and apparent habitat specificity.

Bibliography. Bonvicino, Lemos & Weksler (2005), Bonvicino, Lindbergh & Maroja (2002), Pereira & Geise (2009), Prado et al. (2015), Santos (2009), Talamoni et al. (2014), Trott et al. (2007), Weksler & Bonvicino (2005, 2008b, 2015b).