Abrothrix andina

Abrothrix andina
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Sigmodontinae
Genus:	Abrothrix
Species:	A. andina
Binomial name
Abrothrix andina (Philippi, 1858)
Synonyms
Mus andinusPhilippi, 1858 Akodon andinus Chroeomys andinus Abrothrix andinus

^[2]

Abrothrix andina, also known as the Andean Altiplano mouse, ^[1] Andean Soft-haired Mouse, ^[2] Andean Grass Mouse ^[2] or Andean akodont, ^[3] is a species of rodent in the genus Abrothrix of family Cricetidae. ^[4] It is found in the Altiplano habitat of the Andes from central Peru through Bolivia, south to Argentina and Chile. ^[5]

Taxonomy

Abrothrix andina is a member of the order Rodentia and family Cricetidae with the genus Abrothrix. ^[6]

Habitat

Abrothrix andina is a small mammal that is active throughout the Andes, ^[7] and has been found in altitudes of 4,620 m. ^[8] The environment consists of small shrubs and is categorizes as having dry summers and snowy winters. ^[7]

Biology

Diet

Abrothrix andina primarily eats small shrubs during the summer and shrubs and insects during the winters ^[9] During extreme temperature changes, the gut morphology changes and energy expenditure changes. ^[9] For example, their metabolic rate may increase by 36.6% during the winter. ^[7] Their body mass has shown to fluctuate throughout the seasons, as well. ^[7] Their diet has shown behaviors that exhibit hyperphagy. ^[9]

Behavior

Abrothrix andina is active throughout the year despite seasonal changes. ^[7]

References

1. Pardinas and D'Elia, 2008
2. "Abrothrix andina". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists . Retrieved 3 January 2026.
3. Musser and Carleton, 2005, p. 1088
4. Bozinovic, Francisco; Novoa, F. Fernando; Veloso, Claudio (1990). "Seasonal Changes in Energy Expenditure and Digestive Tract of Abrothrix andinus (Cricetidae) in the Andes Range" . Physiological Zoology. 63 (6): 1216–1231. doi:10.1086/physzool.63.6.30152641. JSTOR   30152641. S2CID   85812233.
5. Musser and Carleton, 2005, p. 1089
6. "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
7. Bozinovic, Francisco; Novoa, F. Fernando; Veloso, Claudio (1990). "Seasonal Changes in Energy Expenditure and Digestive Tract of Abrothrix andinus (Cricetidae) in the Andes Range". Physiological Zoology. 63 (6): 1216–1231. doi:10.1086/physzool.63.6.30152641. ISSN   0031-935X. JSTOR   30152641. S2CID   85812233.
8. Discovery of the world’s highest-dwelling mammal
9. Bozinovic, Francisco; Iturri, Sergio J. (1991). "Seasonal changes in glucose and tyrosine uptake of Abrothrix andinus (Cricetidae) inhabiting the andes range" . Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology. 99 (3): 437–439. doi:10.1016/0300-9629(91)90029-C.

Literature cited

• Musser, G.G. and Carleton, M.D. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894–1531 in Wilson, D.E. and Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd ed. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols., 2142 pp.  ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0
• Pardinas, U. and D'Elia, G. 2008. Abrothrix andinus. In IUCN. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on January 12, 2010.