584.

Spegazzini’s Grass Mouse

Akodon spegazzinii

French: Akodon de Spegazzini / German: Spegazzini-Graslandmaus / Spanish: Raton campestre de Spegazzini

Other common names: Spegazzini's Akodont

Taxonomy. Akodon spegazzinii Thomas, 1897, “Lower Cachi.” Clarified byJ. P. Jayat and colleagues in 2010 as lower course of the Cachi River, which passes through the town of Cachi, Salta, Argentina.

Alpha-taxonomy of A. spegazzinii is still controversial; here A. tucumanensis, A. alterus, A. leucolimnaeus, and A. oenos are included as synonyms. A comprehensive and integrative revision is needed. Monotypic.

Distribution. E Andean slopes in NW & WC Argentina .

Descriptive notes. Head-body 60-103 mm, tall 46-83 mm, ear 12-21 mm, hindfoot 18-25 mm; weight 13-34 g. Spegazzini’s Grass Mouse is a moderately small to medium-sized species of Akodon . Dorsal pelageis variable among individuals and populations, ranging from ocherous brown to ruddy brown, fulvous brown, or buffy brown, all in darker or paler tones and with scattered black or dark brown hair; yellow eye-ring is always present but can be variable; venterslightly contrasts dorsum, ranging from buffy to ruddy gray or ocherous gray; few isolated white hairs occur on chin; and tail is conspicuously bicolored, brown or blackish brown above and whitish or buffy below.

Habitat. Ecotone between Chacoan and Yungas forests to semiarid Monte, pre-Puna, Puna, and high Andean environments at elevations of 400-3500 m.

Food and Feeding. Spegazzini’s Grass Mouse is omnivorous.

Breeding. Pregnant and lactating Spegazzini’s Grass Mice and males with large scrotal testes were recorded in December and February. Females had 3-8 embryos. Shedding was recorded in December, February, and April-August.

Activity patterns. Spegazzini’s Grass Mouse is terrestrial and mainly nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Barquez et al. (1980), Braun et al. (2000), Capllonch et al. (1997), Jayat & Pardinas (2016), Jayat, Ortiz & Miotti (2008), Jayat, Ortiz, Pacheco & Gonzalez (2011), Jayat, Ortiz, Pardinas & D’Elia (2007), Jayat, Ortiz, SalazarBravo et al. (2010), Mares et al. (1997), Pardinas, Teta, Alvarado-Serrano et al. (2015), Pardinas, Teta, D'Elia & Diaz (2011).