739.

Tucuman Leaf-eared Mouse

Phyllotis tucumanus

French: Phyllotis du Tucuman / German: Tucuman-Blattohrmaus / Spanish: Ratén orejudo de Tucuman

Taxonomy. Phyllotis dar0wini [sic] tucumanus Thomas, 1912, “Cunbre [= Cumbre] de Mala-mala, Sierra de Tucuman, [Argentina]. Alt. 3300 m.”

Phyllotis tucumanus was recently removed from the traditional concept of P. osilae, based on molecular results. Its alpha-taxonomy is still poorly explored; preliminarily, four clades have been recognized. In this context, status of P lutescens, with type locality in El Choro, Bolivia, deserves closer taxonomic attention. Monotypic.

Distribution. S Bolivia and NW Argentina; limits uncertain.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-129 mm, tail 100-132 mm, ear 21-23 mm, hindfoot 27-32 mm; weight 425-52 g. The Tucuman Leaf-eared Mouse is medium-sized, apparently different from the Walnut Leaf-eared Mouse ( P. nogalaris) butstill poorly characterized. The Tucuman Leaf-eared Mouse is regarded as morphologically highly variable, with light dorsum with weaker tinges in individuals from highlands to darker and saturated in individuals from humid lowland grasslands. Subtle cranial differences have been also reported to separate both species; the Tucuman Leaf-eared Mouse has narrower rostrum and braincase and apparently less hypsodont molars.

Habitat. High-elevation grasslands to lowland open environments dominated by dense grasslands interspersed with rocky outcrops.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Hershkovitz (1962), Jayat, Ortiz et al. (2016), Pearson (1958), Thomas (1912c).