Biology
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Owing to a lack of study, very little is known about the biology of Ruschi's rat (1) (2) (4).
Conservation
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While there are currently no specific conservation measures for Ruschi's rat, it is known to occur within a number of protected areas, including the Parque Rio Doce in Brazil, and the Iguazu National Park in Argentina (1).
Description
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Discovered as recently as 1979, only a few specimens of the enigmatic Ruschi's rat have ever been captured (3). The upperparts of this medium-sized rat are greyish-yellow, becoming darker on head, and fading to pale yellowish-white on the underparts (2) (3). The fur is composed of fine, soft hairs interspersed with long, thick, bristles, which are banded grey and black (4). The ears are large and mostly bare, while the tail is sparsely covered with short, inconspicuous bristles, except at the tip where they become dense and long, forming a pale tuft (2).
Habitat
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Ruschi's rat is found in the hugely biodiverse Atlantic Forest region, where it inhabits moist, tropical primary forest, secondary forest and stands of bamboo (1).
Range
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Although Ruschi's rat has only been found at a small number of localities, these records indicate a wide distribution, ranging from the state of Espirito Santo, south along the east coast of Brazil to Santa Catarina, and west to Misiones province in Argentina (1).
Status
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Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1).
Threats
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Although Ruschi's rat was previously classified as Endangered on the 1996 IUCN Red List, because of more recent findings indicating a relatively large distribution, its status was revised to Least Concern in 2008. While the main threat to this species is habitat loss resulting from deforestation, it is believed that there are still large areas of forest cover capable of supporting populations, and therefore Rushi's rat is unlikely to be undergoing a significant decline. Nevertheless without detailed surveys, the true status of this species remains unknown (1).
Ruschi's rat
provided by wikipedia EN
Ruschi's rat or Ruschi's spiny mouse (Abrawayaomys ruschii) is a rodent species found in Argentina and Brazil.[2] Some cranial features suggest it may be an archaic relative of the paramo Oldfield mouse (Thomasomys paramorum).[3] The upper parts are greyish yellow with a darker head and yellowish-white underparts. Fine hairs are mixed with flattened and grooved spines that are most numerous on the back.[3]
Taxonomy
This rat was first described by Cunha and Cruz in 1979 and is named in honour of the Brazilian naturalist Augusto Ruschi (1915 - 1986).[4]
Description
A medium-sized rodent, Ruschi's rat has a broad head and rounded ears. Adults have a total length of between 200 and 290 mm (7.9 and 11.4 in), about half of which is the tail. The fur is short and dense. Some of the hairs are slender while others are spiny, especially on the back and rump; each spiny hair is flattened and stiff, with a longitudinal groove, and is broadest in the middle.[5] The fur is agouti (banded in light and dark), and there is little difference in shade between the greyish-yellow upper parts of the animal and the slightly paler underparts.[5]
Distribution
Ruschi's rat is native to eastern South America. The type locality is Espírito Santo in southeastern Brazil, and it is also known from several locations in Misiones Province in northeastern Argentina, and from near Rio de Janeiro and in Santa Catarina State. The precise extent of its range is unknown.[1]
Ecology
This species is poorly known. It has been caught in traps set on the ground so it is probably terrestrial rather than arboreal, and this is borne out by its anatomy. Observations of one individual feeding suggests that the diet is mainly fruits, seeds and foliage.[5]
Status
A. ruschii is found in forests in southeastern Brazil and northern Argentina. Although some of the forest is fragmented, the rat has a wide range and no particular threats have been identified. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of least concern.[1]
References
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^ a b c Pardinas, U.; Teta, P.; Percequillo, A. (2016). "Abrawayaomys ruschii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T47760825A22335735. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T47760825A22335735.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
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^ Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1088. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
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^ a b Walker's Mammals of the World (6th Edition, 1999) by Ronald M. Nowak, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.
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^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2009). The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals. JHU Press. p. 354. ISBN 978-0-8018-9533-3. OCLC 270129903.
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^ a b c Patton, James L.; Pardiñas, Ulyses F. J.; D’Elía, Guillermo, eds. (9 March 2015). Mammals of South America, Volume 2: Rodents. University of Chicago Press. pp. 73–75. ISBN 978-0-226-16957-6. OCLC 921432000.
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Ruschi's rat: Brief Summary
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Ruschi's rat or Ruschi's spiny mouse (Abrawayaomys ruschii) is a rodent species found in Argentina and Brazil. Some cranial features suggest it may be an archaic relative of the paramo Oldfield mouse (Thomasomys paramorum). The upper parts are greyish yellow with a darker head and yellowish-white underparts. Fine hairs are mixed with flattened and grooved spines that are most numerous on the back.
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