399.

Anderson’s Arboreal Rice Rat

Oecomys sydandersoni

French: Oecomys d’Anderson / German: Anderson-Baumreisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera arboricola de Anderson

Other common names: Anderson's Oecomys

Taxonomy. Oecomys sydandersoni Carleton, Emmons & Musser, 2009, “ Bolivia, Departamento de Santa Cruz, Provincia Velasco, El Refugio Huanchaca [= biological station in Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado], 210 m; 14°46’01”S/61°02°02"W.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Extreme NE Bolivia (Beni and Santa Cruz departments).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 109-166 mm, tail 115-145 mm, ear 15-19 mm, hindfoot 21-27 mm; weight 30-57 g. Anderson’s Arboreal Rice Rat is medium-sized, with soft, fine, and moderately short (¢.5-7 mm over mid-rump) fur. Dorsum is ocherous brown to pale tawny, generally bright in tone with more grayish showing on head and flanks; venter is pale to medium gray, with hairs of chin, throat, and inguinal area entirely white to base in most specimens; and dorsal and ventral transition is moderately defined but without ocherouslateral line. Tail is ¢.106% of head-body length, brown to dark brown all around for most of its length; short caudal hairs are scarcely visible to unaided eye, revealing fine scale pattern, and end in rudimentary pencil at tip.

Habitat. Almost exclusively open savanna with a mosaic of tall grasses—deeply flooded by standing water during wet season (December-March)—and smaller clumps of woody vegetation with tall trees and many woody vines. Anderson’s Arboreal Rice Rat specially occupies woody islands in these habitats.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Anderson’s Arboreal Rice Rats were trapped aboveground and up to 2-5 m high, suggesting they are arboreal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Carleton & Musser (2015), Carleton et al. (2009), Emmons et al. (2006).