Ctenomys erikacuellarae, Gardner, Salazar-Bravo & Cook, 2014

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Ctenomyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 498-534 : 513

4.

Erika’s Tuco-tuco

Ctenomys erikacuellarae

French: Tuco-tuco d'Erika / German: Erika-Kammratte / Spanish: Tuco tuco de Erika

Taxonomy. Ctenomys erikacuellarae Gardner, Salazar-Bravo & Cook, 2014 ,

“Bolivia, Department of Chuquisaca, 19°43’ S, 63°51’ W, elevation 1200 m.”

Ctenomys erikacuellarae was initially named C. “monte” by E. P. Lessa and J. A. Cook in 1998. It has been recently assigned to the boliviensisspecies group, based on mtDNA analysis. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 24 and FN = 40. Monotypic.

Distribution. SC Bolivia, on the E flanks of the Andes in Santa Cruz and Chuquisaca departments.

Descriptive notes. Total length 184-331 mm, tail 25-96 mm, ear 5-10 mm, hindfoot 28-44 mm; weight 82-390 g. Erika’s Tuco-tuco is medium-sized. Pelage is dense, fine, and soft. Dorsum ranges from ocherous orange to buckthorn-brown; upper surface of head and muzzle are blackish brown, with mid-dorsal band of fuscous black hair that runs toward rump. Venter is drab brown or buffy brown, showing large white or light buff markings on inguinal, axillary, or pectoral regions. Collar of light hair extends ventrally from pinnae to gular region. Skull of Erika’s Tuco-tuco is robust, zygomatic arches are broad, and auditory bullae are inflated. Nasal bones are short and broadest anteriorly, with flat dorsal edges. Mandible is robust with coronoid process falciform. Upper incisors are large, robust, opisthodont, and covered with orange enamel.

Habitat. Andean Dry Valley ecoregion at elevations of 800-1800 m (based on only three collection localities).

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. Erika’s Tuco-tuco has not yet been assessed on The IUCN Red Last.

Bibliography. Gardner et al. (2014), Lessa & Cook (1998).

Figures

1. Anderson’s Tuco-tuco (Clenomys andersoni), 2. Bicolored Tuco-tuco (Cltenomys bicolor), 3. Bolivian Tuco-tuco (Clenomys boliviensis), 4. Erika’s Tuco-tuco (Clenomys erikacuellarae), 5. Goodfellows’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys goodfellowi), 6. Natterer’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys nattereri), 7. Rondon’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys rondoni), 8. Steinbach’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys steinbachi), 9. Yates’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys yatesi), 10. Chacoan Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys conoveri), 11. Forest Tuco-tuco Citenomys ([ rater), 12. Lessa’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys lessai), 13. Lewis’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys lewis), 14. Long-tailed Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys fulvus), 15. Andean Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys opimus), 16. Salta Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys saltarius), 17. Scaglia’s Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys scagliai), 18. Argentine Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys argentinus), 19. Mottled Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys latro), 20. Furtive Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys occultus), 21. Tucuman Tuco-tuco (Clenomys tucumanus), 22. Brazilian Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys brasiliensis)

Distribution. SC Bolivia, on the E flanks of the Andes in Santa Cruz and Chuquisaca departments.