730.

Pearson’s Leaf-eared Mouse

Phyllotis pearsoni

French: Phyllotis de Pearson / German: Pearson-Blattohrmaus / Spanish: Ratén orejudo de Pearson

Taxonomy. Phyllotis pearsoni Pacheco, Rengifo & Vivas, 2014, “Campamento Cal-lacuyan, Laguna Negra, 4,028 m, Quiru-vilca District, Santiago de Chuco Province, La Libertad Department, Peru, at approximately -7° 57° 4.5 S, -78° 14’ 14-6 W.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. S Cajamarca to N Ancash departments, N Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 113-134 mm, tail 92-122 mm, ear 21-25-5 mm, hindfoot 22-5-30 mm; weight 41-68 g. The Leaf-eared Mouse is small, with softsilky fur. Dorsal hairs are slate at bases and brownish at tips; sides are somewhat more yellowish, moderately contrasting venter. Ventral hairs are slate at bases and whitish or white yellowish at tips. Chin hair has dark gray bases and whitish tips. Pectoralstreak is weakly visible or absent. Ears are large and dark. Small pale brown auricular patches occurs behind ears. Mystacial and superciliary vibrissae are long but not extending posteriorly behind pinnae when laid back against head. Dorsal surface of manus is covered with fine white hairs, ungual tufts cover claws, and margins of ventral surfaces of claws are closed at bases. Hindfeet are slender and moderately long, with white metatarsals and digits; heels are furred; and claws are covered by very long ungualtufts. Tail is 41-49 % of head-body length and bicolored, dark above and neutral gray below. There is no pencil tuft on tail tip. Females have four pairs of mammae. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 48, FN = 72.

Habitat. Puna habitats characterized by grasses (e.g. Calamagrostis, Festuca, Poa, all Poaceae, and others) at elevations of 3572-4270 m. In these habitats, Pearson’s Leafeared Mice experience low temperatures (less than 8°C) and water stress, with summer temperatures higher than 15°C.

Food and Feeding. Pearson’s Leaf-eared Mice mainly eat fruit remains, seeds (from species of Ericaceae), other plant material, and small percentages of insect larvae, arthropods, and sporocarps of mycorrhizal fungi.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List due to its recent recognition as a species.

Bibliography. Ferro et al. (2010), Pacheco, Cadenillas et al. (2009), Pacheco, Ramirez et al. (2014), Steppan et al. (2007).