724.

Common Pericote

Graomys griseoflavus

French: Pericote gris / German: Gewohnliche Neuweltfeldratte / Spanish: Pericote dorado

Other common names: Gray Leaf-eared Mouse

Taxonomy. Mus (Phyllotis) griseo-flavus Waterhouse, 1837, “ Rio Negro.” Restricted by P. Hershkovitz in 1962 to mouth of Rio Negro, Rio Negro Province, Argentina.

Although the holotype of G. griseoflavus was secured by Darwin and the Beagle was anchored at the mouth of the Negro River on 3 August 1833, the more probable provenance of this material was Carmen de Patagones (c.30 km upstream the mouth). Graomys griseoflavus is the type species of the genus. There are usually disposed two nominal forms in the synonymy of griseoflavus, including Phyllotis cachinus and Graomys medius (the latter also tenuously connected with chacoensis in some recent revisions). Extensive revision of this complex and widespread taxon is pending. Monotypic.

Distribution. NW, C & S Argentina; probably also SW Bolivia.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 118-169 mm, tail 134-171 mm, ear 23-25 mm, hindfoot 27-31 mm; weigth 30-73 g (mean 50 g). Dorsum of the Common Pericote is grayish yellow, less bright and buffy than the Chaco Pericote ( G. chacoensis); venter is white, but belly hairs are typically gray at bases rather than white throughout. Tail, like that of the Chaco Pericote, is longer than head-body length, bicolored, dark above and pale below, and well-haired, with hairs increasing in length toward end, forming slight to bushy pencil at tip. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 34-38, FN = 44.

Habitat. Patagonian and Monte habitats ranging from agroecosystems and low woodlands to lowlands densely or scarcely covered by shrubs (e.g. Larrea, Zygophyllaceae) following riverine shrublands. In northern Mendoza, the Common Pericote lives in semi-domestically in human dwellings. In Mendoza,it differentially selects microhabitats with high cover oflitter, subshrubs, or shrubs and trees in mesquite forest, and those with high cover in creosote bush (L. tridentata) communities

Food and Feeding. Common Pericotes mainly eat leaves, grains, grasses, and fruit of the mesquite, algarrobo, and caldén ( Prosopis spp., Fabaceae). Studies in Mendoza Province described the Common Pericote as an omnivore, with a strong tendency to folivory; more than 90% ofits diet was composed by dicotyledonous plants leaves, with minor percentages of fruits and a negligible proportion of arthropods.

Breeding. In Mendoza, lactating Common Pericotes were recorded in summer (January-February), and 7-10 young were found in each of seven nests. Litters averaged six embryos, and peak pregnancy occurred in December—March. In scrub forests of northern La Pampa, the Common Pericote nests in holes in tree trunks and branches; nests are barrel-shaped and made of loosely interwoven sticks and twigs.

Activity patterns. The Common Pericote is nocturnal, terrestrial, and scansorial. Individuals used horizontal terrestrial and vertical arboreal dimensions. It exhibits quadrupedal locomotion to escape.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Nevertheless, it is important to note that this classification included the Common Pericote and the Chaco Pericote ( G. chacoensis) and might be different when each species is assessed separately.

Bibliography. Albanese et al. (2011), de la Barrera (1939, 1940), Braun & Patton (2015), Campos et al. (2001), Catanesi et al. (2002), Corbalén (2006), Corbalan & Ojeda (2004), Giannoni et al. (2005), Hershkovitz (1962), Lanzone, Novillo et al. (2007), Martinez & Di Cola (2011), Martinez & Gardenal (2016), Martinez et al. (2010), Pardinas (1995c¢), Pardifas, D'Elia, Jayat & Teta (2016), Pearson (1958), Ramirez et al. (2001), Rosi (1983), Theiler & Blanco (1996a, 1996b), Theiler & Gardenal (1994), Theiler et al. (1999), Udrizar et al. (2011), Waterhouse (1837, 1839), Zambelli & Vidal-Rioja (1995), Zambelli, Catanesi & Vidal-Rioja (2003), Zambelli, Vidal-Rioja & Wainberg (1994).