Holochilus brasiliensis (Desmares, 1819)

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 204-535 : 445

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6728140

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F06D13-FF08-20C1-0D8C-1F130229FC31

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Holochilus brasiliensis
status

 

470. View Plate 23: Cricetidae

Brazilian Marsh Rat

Holochilus brasiliensis View in CoL

French: Oryzomys du Brésil / German: Brasilien-Sumpfratte / Spanish: Rata de marisma de Brasil

Other common names: \ Web-footed Marsh Rat

Taxonomy. Mus brasiliensis Desmarest, 1819 , “ Brésil.” Restricted by P. Hershkovitz in 1955 to “Lagoda Santa [= Lagoa Santa], Minas Geraes [= Gerais],” Brazil .

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. SE & S Brazil (Minas Gerais and Espiritu Santo S to Rio Grande do Sul states). View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 167-211 mm, tail 183-214 mm, hindfoot 51-56 mm; weight 130-370 g. No specific data are available for body weight. See general characters of the genus under the Venezuelan Marsh Rat ( H. venezuelae ) account. Dorsum of the Brazilian Marsh Rat is cinnamon, sides are orangish, and venter is pale orange. Mystacial vibrissae are short and do not reach ear tips. Tail is unicolored and sparsely haired. Hindfeet have interdigital webbing. Skull is heavily built. Interorbital margins have moderately well-developed supraorbital crests. Incisors are opisthodont; molars are tetralophodont. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 40, FN = 56.

Habitat. Marshes, swamps, grasslands, and open wetlands, mainly associated with Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Brazilian Marsh Rat consists basically of leaves and other items of plant origin. Herbivorous specializations are reflected in its anatomy, such as gut morphology, lack of gall bladder, reduction or loss of mesolophid, lamination of molar cusps, and reduction in number of molar folds.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Trapping data suggests that the Brazilian Marsh Ratis nocturnal. It has more adaptations to swim than to climb and run, characterizing an amphibiouslifestyle.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. D’Elia, Hanson et al. (2015), Goncalves et al. (2015), Hershkovitz (1955), Marques (1988).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Cricetidae

Genus

Holochilus

Loc

Holochilus brasiliensis

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr 2017
2017
Loc

Mus brasiliensis

Desmarest 1819
1819
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