590.

Dolores Grass Mouse

Akodon dolores

French: Akodon de Villa Dolores / German: Dolores-Graslandmaus / Spanish: Raton campestre de Dolores

Other common names: Cordoba Akodont

Taxonomy. Akodon dolores Thomas, 1916, Yacanto, 900 m, near Villa Dolores, Cordoba, Argentina.

Akodon dolores probably has subspecific forms acrossits broad distributional. Available names for a trinomial classification are A. neocenus and A. molinae. A comprehensive approach based on topotypical series is needed. Monotypic.

Distribution. N, C & S Argentina .

Descriptive notes. Head-body 111 and 107 mm, tail 74 and 76 mm, ear 17 and 16 mm, hindfoot 26 and 24 mm; weight 43 and 38 g (mean valuesfor large series of pooled males and females, respectively). The Dolores Grass Mouse is probably the largest species of Akodon . Dorsum is pale olivebrown to olive-gray, with some individuals having reddish tint; venter is pale drab white to gray; pale eye-ring is present; and tail is bicolored and densely furred. Post-auricular white patches are variably present.

Habitat. “Espinal” (thorn) forests of Prosopis caldenia ( Fabaceae), halophytic shrub communities, mixed shrublands, Monte Desert shrublands typified by Larrea divaricata (Zygophyllaceae), borders of grasslands and cultivated fields, clumps of grass near watercourses, Chaco Serrano transition with palms, rocky hilly environments, and deforested and urbanized areas.

Food and Feeding. The Dolores Grass Mouse is omnivorous, with local and seasonal differences in degrees of insectivory or herbivory.

Breeding. Reproduction of the Dolores Grass Mouse occurs in August-April. Mean embryo count is 7-3, but mean litter size is 4-6 young. In laboratory colonies, age of first reproduction is three months old, with continuing reproduction until at least 13 months old.

Activity patterns. The Dolores Grass Mouse is terrestrial and nocturnal. It does not dig.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Home ranges are 785-924 m?, with those of males larger than females. Highest densities occurred in autumn.

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

Bibliography. Apfelbaum & Blanco (1985), Apfelbaum & Reig (1989), Bianchi et al. (1971), Bonaventura, Balabusic et al. (1998), Braun et al. (2008), Campos et al. (2001), Castellarini et al. (2003), Castillo et al. (2003), Chebez et al. (2014), Contreras (1968, 1979), Corbalan & Ojeda (2005), Corbalan et al. (2006), D'Elia (2016f), Giannoni et al. (2005), Jayat, Ortiz, Pacheco & Gonzalez (2011), Martinez et al. (1990), Monjeau, Bonino & Saba (1994), Monjeau, Sikes et al. (1997), Myers (1990), Nabte et al. (2009), Navarro (1991), Ojeda (1989), Pardinas (2009), Pardinas, Abba et al. (2004), Pardinas, Teta, Alvarado-Serrano et al. (2015), Pardinas, Teta, Cirignoli & Podesta (2003), Piantanida (1987), Polop & Busch (2010), Polop & Sabattini (1993), Polop et al. (1985), Roldan et al. (1984), Tabeni & Ojeda (2005), Teta, Pereira et al. (2009), Thomas (1919b, 1927b), Tiranti (1998b), Udrizar (2009), Udrizar & Pardinas (2006, 2014), Wittouck et al. (1995).