691.

Ornate Soft-haired Mouse

Abrothrix jelskii

French: Abrothrix de Jelski / German: Jelski-Andenfeldmaus / Spanish: Ratén de pelaje suave de Jelski

Other common names: Jelski’'s Altiplano Mouse, Ornate Akodont, Ornate Grass Mouse

Taxonomy. Acodon jelskii Thomas, 1894, “ Junin [Junin], Central Peru.”

Abrothrix jelskii is in the subgenus Chroeomys. It varies considerably in color and size over its distribution and is the type species of the subgenus Chroeomys . Monotypic.

Distribution. WC Peru S through W Bolivia to NW Argentina .

Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-102, tail 74-79 mm, ear 17-18 mm, hindfoot 24— 25 mm; weight 28-32 g. See general characters of the genus under the Long-haired Soft-haired Mouse (A. longipilis) account. The Ornate Soft-haired Mouse is medium-sized, with long and silky hair typically unmistakable by ferruginous tone present on nose, ears, feet, and tail; venter is snow white. Color pattern is striking and variable, generally strongly countershaded, with ventral pelage whitish or grayish, contrasting patches of white or buff hair behind ears, and fulvous or ocherous hairs on muzzle,feet, tail dorsum, flanks, or back. Manus and pes have five long fingers; palmar and plantar pads are large and fleshy; and claws are moderately long, keeled for c.33-50% of their lengths. Tail is shorter than head-body length. Baculum is minute, with vestigial apical digits. Rostrum is relatively short, with nasals surpassing posteriorly level of lacrimals. Zygomatic notches are narrow and shallow, and zygomatic plate is narrow and slanting backward. Mesopterygoid fossa is broad, and parapterygoid fossae are excavated.

Habitat. Altiplano and highland ecosystems, including grassy places, rocks, vacant huts, and even occupied houses, typically at elevations above 2200 m. In north-western Argentina, the Ornate Soft-haired Mouse is found in sparse grasslands dominated by Stipa ichu ( Poaceae), plants with compact growth habits such as Azorella compacta ( Apiaceae), and rocky outcrops.

Food and Feeding. The Ornate Soft-haired Mouse eats forbs, insects, grass, and seeds.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Ornate Soft-haired Mouse is terrestrial and both diurnal and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Anderson (1997), Arana-Cardé & Ascorra (1994), Diaz & Barquez (2007), Dorst (1971), Ferro (2010), Jayat (2016a), Jayat et al. (2013), Patterson et al. (2015), Pearson (1951a, 1982), Pizzimenti & de Salle (1980), Sanborn (1947b), Tarifa & Yensen (2001), Tarifa et al. (2007), Valladares et al. (2015).