Oecomys paricola (Thomas)

Rocha, Rita G., Ferreira, Eduardo, Costa, Barbara M. A., Martins, Iracy C. M., Leite, Yuri L. R., Costa, Leonora P. & Fonseca, Carlos, 2011, Small mammals of the mid-Araguaia River in central Brazil, with the description of a new species of climbing rat, Zootaxa 2789, pp. 1-34 : 18

Oecomys paricola (Thomas)

Identification. The dorsal pelage is orange brown and the tail is more hairy and the ending tuft more prominent than in other species. The skull ( Fig. 9 a) is small and the rostrum varies from slender in females to broad in males. Zygomatic notches are almost indistinct, the interorbital region converges anteriorly and it has supraorbital ledges extending onto parietals. The incisive foramen is oval-shaped and does not reach the molar rows. The mesopterygoid fossa is arched and sphenopalatine vacuities are absent, mesopterygoid roof is totally ossified. Posterior palatal pits are prominent and often divided. It also has the pattern 1 of carotid circulation (sensu Voss 1988), and alisphenoid strut is absent. Upper incisors are slightly opisthodont, labial accessory root of M1 is present and maxillary tooth rows are smaller than in Oecomys sp. or O. roberti .

Measurements (n = 4): HB = 102–117, T = 107–123, HF = 23–25, E = 17–18, W = 35–45.

Distribution. This species occurs in central Brazil south of the Amazon River ( Musser & Carleton 2005). Here we provide the southernmost record of O. paricola , in a transitional area between Cerrado and Amazonia.

Natural history. Six specimens (four males and two females) of O. paricola were captured in pitfalls in the southern part of PEC, which is the most preserved area of the park. Only one adult male was captured in a Sherman trap in the northern part of PEC.

Vouchers (n = 6: 4ɗ 2Ψ): UFES 1365–1368, 1438 –1439.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Dorsal, ventral and lateral views of skull and mandible of: a) Oecomys paricola (female, UFES 1368), b) Oecomys roberti (female, UFES 1370) and c) Oecomys sp. (female, UFES 1353).