Oxymycterus quaestor, Thomas, 1903

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 : 465

528.

Quaestor Hocicudo

Oxymycterus quaestor

French: Hocicudo questeur / German: Argentinien-Grabmaus / Spanish: Raton hocicudo cuestor

Taxonomy. Oxymycterus quaestor Thomas, 1903 , “Roca Nova, Parana, altitude 1000 m,” Brazil.

Although O. quaestor is treated as monotypic here, following its current concept that includes O. judex and O. misionalis as synonyms, taxonomy of these large sylvan hocicudos deserves more indepth exploration. Monotypic.

Distribution. E Paraguay, NE Argentina , and SE & S Brazil.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 135-180 mm,tail 97-143 mm, ear 21-26 mm, hindfoot 34-40 mm; weight 100 g (mean ofsix specimens from Argentina ). See general characters of the genus under the Amazonian Hocicudo ( O. amazonicus ) account. The Quaestor Hocicudo is a moderately large species of Oxymycterus . Dorsum is dark orange-brown, strongly lined with black, and sometimes more intensely black on crown and mid-dorsum to reddish brown without black. Venteris dark yellowish gray to dark orange.

Habitat. Mainly moist and dry scrub and subtropical forests, usually trapped in open areas inside forests.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. In Santa Catarina (Brazil), reproduction of the Quaestor Hocicudo was apparently seasonally bimodal, with young found in late spring to summer (November— February) and winter (April-July). Reproductive females were captured in July and January, and lactating females in October. All adult males exhibited scrotal testes.

Activity patterns. The Quaestor Hocicudo is terrestrial and diurnal. Individuals were trapped on the ground in humid and disturbed vegetation.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Quaestor Hocicudos are apparently short-lived because average residency period was c.76 days.

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

Bibliography. Cirignoli et al. (2011), D'Elia & Pardinas (2016a), D'Elia, Mora et al. (2008), Graipel et al. (2006), Hershkovitz (1994), Oliveira (1998), Oliveira & Gongalves (2015), Pecanha (2015), Sanborn (1931).

Figures

523. Huanchaca Burrowing Mouse (Juscelinomys huanchacae), 524. Candango Burrowing Mouse (Juscelinomys candango), 525. Amazonian Hocicudo (Oxymycterus amazonicus), 526. Spy Hocicudo (Oxymycterus delator), 527. Atlantic Forest Hocicudo (Oxymycterus dosytrichos), 528. Quaestor Hocicudo (Oxymycterus quaestor), 529. Inca Hocicudo (Oxymycterus inca), 530. Paramo Hocicudo (Oxymycterus paramensis), 531. Elfin Forest Hocicudo (Oxymycterus nigrifrons), 532. Upper Yungas Inca Hocicudo (Oxymycterus juliacae), 533. Small Yungas Hocicudo (Oxymycterus hiska), 534. Quechuan Hocicudo (Oxymycterus hucucha), 535. Mount Caparao Hocicudo (Oxymycterus caparoae), 536. Red Hocicudo (Oxymycterus rufus), 537. Darwin’s Hocicudo (Oxymycterus nasutus), 538. Ravine Hocicudo (Oxymycterus wayku), 539. Cook’s Hocicudo (Oxymycterus joser), 540. Common Cerrado Mouse (Thalpomys cerradensis), 541. Hairy-eared Cerrado Mouse (Thalpomys lasiotis), 542. Roraima Mouse (Podoxymys roraimae), 543. Blackish Grass Mouse (Thaptomys nigrita), 544. Ecuadorean Akodont (Necromys punctulatus), 545. Northern Akodont (Necromys urichi), 546. Hairy-tailled Akodont (Necromys lasiurus), 547. Pleasant Akodont (Necromys amoenus), 548. White-chinned Akodont (Necromys lactens), 549. Lillo’s Akodont (Necromys lilloi), 550. Dark-furred Akodont (Necromys obscurus), 551. Kemp's Grass Mouse (Deltamys kempi), 552. Araucaria Grass Mouse (Deltamys araucaria), 553. Serra do Mar Grass Mouse (Castoria angustidens)

Distribution. E Paraguay, NE Argentina , and SE & S Brazil.