618.

Long-tailed Climbing Rat

Rhipidomys mastacalis

French: Rhipidomys de Lund / German: Langschwanz-Neuweltklettermaus / Spanish: Rata trepadora de cola larga

Other common names: Atlantic Forest Rhipidomys, Long-tailed Climbing Mouse, Northern Atlantic Forest Rhipidomys

Taxonomy. Mus mastacalis Lund, 1840, Rio das Velhas, Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Taxonomy of R. mastacalis, particularly relationship with R. macrurus, are not fully resolved. Monotypic.

Distribution. E Brazil (from Paraiba S to Rio de Janeiro states); isolated populations in Ceara and Goias states also provisionally assigned to this species.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 124-151 mm, tail 147-167 mm, ear 20-22 mm, hindfoot 26-30 mm; weight 55-100 g (mean 65-9). The Long-tailed Climbing Rat is medium-sized, with gray-brown to more intensely red-brown dorsal pelage and cream or white underparts. Tail is 120-140% of head-body length and light to dark brown, with short hairs proximally but longer ones on distal one-half and short to moderate length pencil. Ears are medium to large in size and usually medium brown. Hindfeet are broad and medium in length, with medium to dark brown dorsal patch, often broad and ill-defined, that does not extend onto toes; and sides of foot and toes pale.

Habitat. Remnants of Atlantic Forest, including highland enclaves (“brejos de altitude”) and lowland forest. The Long-tailed Climbing Rat is implicated in damage to cacao plantations. About 60% of 212 individuals was captured in closed and open caatinga dry forest and scrub.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Only females weighing more than 70 g were pregnant. Numbers of embryos per female were 3-5. In Caatinga ecoregion, breeding season occurred in December— April. Only two of 17 females collected were pregnant in October-December.

Activity patterns. The Long-tailed Climbing Rat is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. [Long-tailed Climbing Rats have been captured in trees and on the ground.

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

Bibliography. Asfora & Pontes (2009), Cerqueira et al. (1989), Costa et al. (2011), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pardini (2004), Patton, Catzeflis et al. (2016¢), Souza (2011), Tribe (1996, 2015), Zanchin etal. (1992).