Neusticomys monticolus, Anthony, 1921

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 : 404-405

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6707142
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6726722
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F06D13-FFD3-2019-08B8-197409F8FAAC
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Neusticomys monticolus
status

Treatment

336. View Plate 19: Cricetidae

Montane Fish-eating Rat

Neusticomys monticolus View in CoL

French: Ichthyomys de montagne / German: Gebirgs-Fischratte / Spanish: Rata pescadora de montana

Other common names: Montane | chthyomyine

Taxonomy. Neusticomys monticolus Anthony, 1921 View in CoL , Nono Farm “San Francisco” (about 16 km NNE of the summit of Volcan Pichincha), Pichincha, Ecuador.

Neusticomys monticolus View in CoL is the type species of the genus. Monotypic.

Distribution. W Andean slopes of Colombia and Ecuador. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-211 mm, tail 87-114 mm, ear 811 mm, hindfoot 24-26 mm; weight 75 g. Dorsum of the Montane Fish-eating Rat is dull gray or black, contrasting slightly with paler venter. Oral margins and at least some lowermost mystacial vibrissae are usually silvery. Hindfoot is narrow, with poorly developed border ofstiff hairs. Ears are visible above pelage of head. Tail is less than or equal to head-body length, and variations in color oftail include white or partially bicolored tips. Young and old individuals have similar pelage.

Habitat. Forest and paramo ecosystems probably at elevations of 1800-3800 m. The Montane Fish-eating Ratis found near small streams of crystalline waters less than 1 m wide and 5-10 cm deep in primary and secondary mountain forests.

Food and Feeding. The Montane Fish-eating Rat mainly eats aquatic insects, including larval and nymphs stages.

Breeding. A female was collected in the early wet season (mid-May) with two large embryos.

Activity patterns. Montane Fish-eating Rats are semi-aquatic.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. In Colombia, a Montane Fish-eating Rat was reportedly eaten by a Crab-eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous).

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

Bibliography. Anthony (1921, 1929), Delgado (2009), Goémez-Laverde & Delgado (2008), Ochoa & Soriano (1991), Voss (1988, 2015b).

Figures

321. Groove-toothed Cotton Rat (Sigmodon alstoni), 322. Ecuadorean Cotton Rat (Sigmodon inopinatus), 323. Peruvian Cotton Rat (Sigmodon peruanus), 324. White-eared Cotton Rat (Sigmodon leucotis), 325. Tawny-bellied Cotton Rat (Sigmodon fulviventer), 326. Yellow-nosed Cotton Rat (Sigmodon ochrognathus), 327. Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus), 328. West Mexican Cotton Rat (Sigmodon mascotensis), 329. Arizona Cotton Rat (Sigmodon arizonae), 330. Toltec Cotton Rat (Sigmodon toltecus), 331. Allen’s Cotton Rat (Sigmodon alleni), 332. Burmeister’s Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hirsutus), 333. Montane Cotton Rat (Sigmodon zanjonensis), 334. Miahuatlan Cotton Rat (Sigmodon planifrons), 335. Musso’s Fish-eating Rat (Neusticomys mussoi), 336. Montane Fish-eating Rat (Neusticomys monticolus), 337. Voss’s Fish-eating Rat (Neusticomys vossi), 338. Venezuelan Fish-eating Rat (Neusticomys venezuelae), 339. Guianan Fish-eating Rat (Neusticomys oyapocki), 340. Ferreira’s Fish-eating Rat (Neusticomys ferreirai), 341. Peruvian Fish-eating Rat (Neusticomys peruviensis), 342. Northern Andean Water Mouse (Chibchanomys trichotis), 343. Orces’s Andean Water Mouse (Chibchanomys orcesi), 344. Earless Water Mouse (Anotomys leander), 345. Pittier’s Crab-eating Rat (Ichthyomys pittieri), 346. Common Crab-eating Rat (Ichthyomys hydrobates), 347. Tweedy’s Crab-eating Rat (Ichthyomys tweedii), 348. Stolzmann’s Crab-eating Rat (Ichthyomys stolzmanni), 349. Goldman's Water Mouse (Rheomys raptor), 350. Thomas's Water Mouse (Rheomys thomasi), 351. Underwood’s Water Mouse (Rheomys underwoodi), 352. Mexican Water Mouse (Rheomys mexicanus)