Akodon albiventer, Thomas, 1897

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 : 476

564.

White-bellied Grass Mouse

Akodon albiventer

French: Akodon a ventre blanc / German: \Weil3bauch-Graslandmaus / Spanish: Raton campestre de vientre blanco

Other common names: \ White-bellied Akodont

Taxonomy. Akodon albiventer Thomas, 1897 , “Lower Cachi.” Clarified byJ. P.Jayat and colleagues in 2010 as lower course of the Cachi River, which passes through the town of Cachi, Salta, Argentina.

Treatment of A. berlepschii as a synonym of A. albiventer deserves additional research. Monotypic.

Distribution. SE Peru through SW Bolivia and extreme NE Chile to NW Argentina .

Descriptive notes. Head—body 86-109 mm, tail 69-77 mm, ear 13-13-5 mm, hindfoot 20-22 mm; weight 21-36 g. The White-bellied Grass Mouse is a small species of Akodon . Dorsum is pale grizzled grayish, contrasting with snowy white venter. Eyes have whitish eye-rings; ears have few whitish hairs that form indistinct post-auricular spots; dorsal surfaces of forefeet and hindfeet are pure white; and tail is short, well-haired, brown above and white on sides and below.

Habitat. Open grasslands at high Andean environments and disturbed and cultivated areas at elevations of 2350-4500 m (most localities 3000-4500 m).

Food and Feeding. The White-bellied Grass Mouse eats invertebrates (mainly insects), grass, and mycorrhizal spores.

Breeding. Pregnancy of the White-bellied Grass Mouse probably occurs in late July. Lactating and pregnant females were trapped in February-March and December. Shedding individuals were collected in February—March, June, and December. Young individuals were observed in January-June.

Activity patterns. The White-bellied Grass Mouse is terrestrial, diurnal, and solitary.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Alvarez (2016), Anderson (1997), Diaz & Barquez (2007), Dunnum, Vargas, Bernal, Zeballos, Vivar, Patterson, Pardinas & Jayat (2016), Jayat et al. (2010), Mann (1978), Pardinas, Teta, Alvarado-Serrano et al. (2015), Pearson (1951a), Pine et al. (1979).

Figures

Distribution. SE Peru through SW Bolivia and extreme NE Chile to NW Argentina .