54.

Foch’s Tuco-tuco

Ctenomys fochi

French: Tuco-tuco de Foch / German: Foch-Kammratte / Spanish: Tuco tuco de Foch

Taxonomy. Ctenomys fochi Thomas, 1919,

“Chumbicha, Catamarca,” Departamento Capayan, Catamarca Province, 28°52’ S, 66°14’ W, 415 m, Argentina.

Ctenomys fochi is not classified in any species group. Karyotype and sperm form are unknown. Monotypic.

Distribution. NW Argentina (SW Catamarca Province), known only from the vicinity ofthe type locality.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 162 mm, tail 76 mm, hindfoot 30 mm,all measurements from the holotype (young adult male). No specific data are available for body weight. Foch’s Tuco-tuco is small-sized. General color is drab buffy brown, with ventral hairs washed with paler tones; hairs are slate at bases. Muzzle and crown are nearly black. Skull is similar to the Cordoba Tuco-tuco (C. bergr) but shows bullae evenly inflated.

Habitat. Very dry red earth, according to the collector.

Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Bidau (2015).