Microcavia shiptoni (Thomas, 1925)
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6585510 |
DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6585564 |
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FF87C7-FFB5-5345-2543-F89D5EA2B0C9 |
treatment provided by |
Carolina |
scientific name |
Microcavia shiptoni |
status |
|
Shipton’s Mountain Cavy
Microcavia shiptoni View in CoL
French: Cobaye de Shipton / German: Shipton-Zwergmeerschweinchen / Spanish: Cuy de Shipton
Taxonomy. Nanocavia shiptoni Thomas, 1925 View in CoL ,
“Laguna Blanca, Catamarca. Alttude 3400 m,” Argentina .
This species is monotypic.
Distribution. NW Argentina, in the highlands of Salta, Catamarca, and Tucuman provinces. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 186 mm (maximum 220 mm), ear 17 mm, hindfoot 37 mm; weight 150-220 g. Shipton’s Mountain Cavy is a small cavy. Back is dull brown to tawny, and venter is buffy white or whitish. Ears are short with fine buffy hairs.
Habitat. Andean and pre-Andean shrublands at elevations of 3000-4500 m.
Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but Shipton’s Mountain Cavy is no doubt herbivorous.
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 Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Shipton’s Mountain Cavy has a small and fragmented distribution. Overgrazing in the region is degrading habitat quality. Its distribution overlaps Los Cardones National Park, where it probably receives some protection from disturbance.
Bibliography. Canevari & Vaccaro (2007), Dunnum (2015), Mares et al. (1989), Redford & Eisenberg (1992), Woods & Kilpatrick (2005).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.