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Koford’s Puna Mouse

Punomys kofordi

French: Punomys de Koford / German: Koford-Puna-Maus / Spanish: Raton de puna de Koford

Other common names: Eastern Puna Mouse

Taxonomy. Punomys kofordi Pacheco & Patton, 1995, 20 -8 km ENE Crucero, 4550 m, Lago Aricoma, Puno, Peru .

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. E Andes Range in S Peru (Puno Region) and NW Bolivia (La Paz Department); specific affiliation of the Bolivian record notfully resolved.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 126-163 mm, tail 65-81 mm, ear 23-27-6 mm, hindfoot 26-28 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Pelage of upperparts of Koford’s Puna Mouse is overall darker, not contrasting in color with underparts; tail is longer than 30% of head-body length; hindfoot absolutely shorter (mean 27-2 mm vs. 28:7 mm) than in the Western Puna Mouse ( P lemminus).

Habitat. Humid eastern Cordillera bordering the Altiplano at elevations of 4500-4770 m. Koford’s Puna Mice were found in holes under mossy rocks, under rocky piles, or at bases ofsteep slopes and cliffs, usually close to Senecio (Asteraceae) bushes.

Food and Feeding. Koford’s Puna Mouse is herbivorous. Suitable microhabitats can be identified by presence of cuttings or flowers of Senecio, a preferred food, layering floors of holes.

Breeding. Pregnant or lactating Koford’s Puna Mice andjuveniles were caught from June to September;litters have 2-3 young. Reproduction is timed differently for Koford’s Puna Mouse than for the Western Puna Mouse that breeds in November—April (wet season).

Activity patterns. Koford’s Puna Mice were seen day and night. This speciesis terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Several individuals of Koford’s Puna Mouse used a common burrow opening.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Koford’s Puna Mouse has a very restricted area of occupancy and is known from less than five locations.

Bibliography. Pacheco & Patton (1995), Patterson & Zeballos (2008a), Patton (2015a), Pearson (1957), Salazar Bravo, Miralles-Salazar et al. (2011), Salazar-Bravo, Pardinas et al. (2016).