Akodon mystax, Hershkovitz, 1998

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 : 479

580.

Caparao Grass Mouse

Akodon mystax

French: Akodon de Caparao / German: Caparao-Graslandmaus / Spanish: Raton campestre de Caparad

Other common names: Caparao Akodont

Taxonomy. Akodon mystax Hershkovitz, 1998 , Arrozal, 2300 m, Pico da Bandeira, western slope Mt. Caparao, Minas Gerais, Brazil .

Taxonomy of A. mystax is poorly explored. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in SE Brazil.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 66-101 mm, tail 48-76 mm, ear 11-18 mm, hindfoot (without claw) 17-20 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Caparao Grass Mouse is a small-sized species of Akodon . Dorsum is grayish brown; sides are slightly paler than dorsum, with phaeomelanic bands generally very pale yellow; venter is grayish, with dark gray basal bands and terminal whitish bands; dark rostral patch occurs on some specimens, apparently more frequent on males than females. Tail is well-furred and bicolored, black dorsally and white ventrally; forefeet and hindfeet are covered by overall light gray tone.

Habitat. Cool, humid, and high-elevation grasslands and gallery montane habitats at elevations above 1800 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Female Caparao Grass Mice had four embryos.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Bonvicino et al. (1997), Christoff et al. (2008a), Goncalves et al. (2007), Hershkovitz (1998), Pardinas, Teta, Alvarado-Serrano et al. (2015).

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Distribution. Known only from the type locality in SE Brazil.