664.

Austral Oldfield Mouse

Thomasomys australis

French: Thomasomys austral / German: Siidliche Paramomaus / Spanish: Ratén de erial austral

Other common names: Austral Thomasomys

Taxonomy. 7 Thomasomys daphne australis Anthony, 1925, Incachaca, 7700 feet (= 2347 m), Cochabamba, Bolivia.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Andes in C Bolivia (Cochabamba and Santa Cruz departments).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 89-91 mm, tail 138 mm, ear 19 mm, hindfoot 24— 25 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Pelage of the Austral Oldfield Mouse is quite long, soft, and lax.

Dorsum is cinnamon-brown to auburn, and flanks are almost as dark; ears are small and covered with short brown hair; and hands, feet, wrists, and ankles are washed with clove brown. Venter is cinnamon-buff. Mystacial vibrissae are moderately long, extending slightly beyond posterior margin of pinnae when bent. Tail is very long (144-155% of head-body length), covered by fine scales, and unicolored. Hindfoot is short, slender, and dark brown.

Habitat. Bolivian Yungas ecoregion, in upper montane elfin forest at elevations of 2350-2800 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Four pregnant Austral Oldfield Mice captured in October had 1-3 embryos. A lactating female was captured in June.

Activity patterns. Austral Oldfield Mice have been collected on the ground.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List as a distinct species. [UCN treated this species under Daphne’s Oldfield Mouse (7. daphne), which is classified as Least Concern.

Bibliography. Anderson (1997), Anthony (1925), Pacheco (2003, 2015b).