732.

Ancash Leaf-eared Mouse

Phyllotis definitus

French: Phyllotis de IAncash / German: Ancash-Blattohrmaus / Spanish: Raton orejudo de Ancash

Other common names: Ancash Pericote, Definitive Leaf-eared Mouse

Taxonomy. Phyllotis definitus Osgood, 1915, “Macate, 50 miles [= 80 km] north-east of Chimbote, [Ancash,] Peru.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Andes of C Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 122-5 mm, tail 101-136 mm, ear 22-25 mm, hindfoot 28-31 mm; weight 50-89 g. Dorsum of the Ancash Leaf-eared Mouse is cinnamon brown, mixed liberally with dusky hues; rump is slightly paler than back and shoulders; and nape tends toward grayish. Venter is buffy ocherous, paler and more whitish on throat and inguinal area. Chin is whitish and contrasts zygomatic side of rostrum. Pectoral streak is well-defined. Auricular patches are present behind pinnae. Forefeet and hindfeet are white, with proximal part of pes more or less ocherous. Tail is short, equal to or less than head-body length and bicolored, dark above and gray below. Skull is large for a species of Phyllotis (average condylo-incisive length 29-7 mm); nasal is broad; zygomatic arch is robust; interorbital region is very narrow; mesopterygoid fossae are narrow, with pterygoid processes convergent; and tooth row is very large (average 5-6). Chromosomal complement is 2n = 54, FN = 72 in individuals from Ancash Department.

Habitat. Brushy zones, dry shrublands, and rocky areas on western Andean slopes at elevations of 2600-3000 m.

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 Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Ancash Leaf-eared Mouse occurs in less than 5000 km?.

Bibliography. Eisenberg & Redford (1999), Hershkovitz (1962), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pacheco (2002), Pearson (1958, 1972), Steppan & Ramirez (2015), Zeballos & Vivar (2008c).