183.

Allen’s Woodrat

Hodomys alleni

French: Néotoma d’Allen / German: Allen-Buschratte / Spanish: Rata de bosque de Allen

Taxonomy. Neotoma alleni Merriam, 1892, Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico.

Taxonomic validity of Hodomys has been widely reviewed; most authors consider it a valid genus. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

H.a.alleniMerriam,1892—fromSSinaloa(SofElRosario)StoSJaliscoandColimastates(WMexico).

H.a.elatturaOsgood,1938—fromSEJaliscoandC&SMichoacanEtoMorelosandEGuerrerostates(CMexico).

H.a.guerrerensisGoldman,1938—W&SGuerreroState(SWMexico).

H. a. vetula Merriam, 1894 — NE Guerrero, S Puebla, and extreme NW Oaxaca states (S Mexico).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 160-222 mm, tail 140-224 mm, ear 28-33 mm, hindfoot 25-33 mm; weight 119-452 g. Allen’s Woodrat is large and similar to other species of woodrats. Dorsum varies from reddish cinnamon to fawn, with greater or lesser mixture of dark hair. Belly is opaque white. Hindfeet are white, with dark brown hair on dorsal surfaces. Tail is solid or clearly bicolored. Skull is long and narrow, head is elongated and narrow, bullae are small, and molars have a distinct S-shaped pattern on M,—a pattern that distinguishes Hodomys from Neotoma .

Habitat. Tropical deciduous forests, thorn scrublands and chaparral, secondary vegetation, and crops such as coconut, mango, corn, and melon from sea level to elevations of 1800 m. Allen’s Woodrat inhabits rocky slopes of the southern Sierra Madre Occidental and Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Young Allen’s Woodrats are born in August, September, and October. A female with embryos was reported in September, and lactating females were reported in August and September. Juveniles have been collected in September and December, indicating late summer or early autumn reproduction.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Allen’s Woodrats generally do not construct large piles of debris (middens) as do other species of woodrats, but in Colima, they build large nests in tree branches. They mark their trails with excrement or debris.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Allen’s Woodrat is endemic to Mexico and relatively rare, as indicated by small numbers of reported captures. Given its wide distribution in Mexico,it is not considered threatened.

Bibliography. Allen (1897b), Alvarez & Lépez-Vidal (2014), Birney & Jones (1972), Carleton (1980), Ceballos & Miranda (1986), Edwards & Bradley (2002), Genoways & Birney (1974), Genoways & Jones (1973), Goldman (1938), Merriam (1892b, 1894b), Osgood (1938), Ramirez-Pulido et al. (1983), Schaldach (1960), Uribe et al. (1981), Winkelmann (1962).