| Mendoza tuco-tuco | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Ctenomyidae |
| Genus: | Ctenomys |
| Species: | C. mendocinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ctenomys mendocinus Philippi, 1869 | |
| Synonyms | |
Ctenomys azarae Thomas, 1903Ctenomys porteousiThomas, 1916 Contents | |
The Mendoza tuco-tuco (Ctenomys mendocinus) is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. [2]
A 2021 phylogenetic study found that Azara's tuco-tuco (C. azarae) and Porteous's tuco-tuco (C. porteousi), which were both previously considered distinct species in Ctenomys , are synonymous with C. mendocinus. The American Society of Mammalogists has followed this study's results. [3] [4] The former species was named after Spanish naturalist Félix de Azara, while the latter species was named after Lieutenant Colonel John James Porteous (1857–1948) and his nephew Don Cecil John Montague Porteous (1884– 1953), who owned land in Argentina. [5]
Ctenomys mendocinus ranges from 230 to 280 mm in body length, and tail length of 70–91 mm. Body mass ranges anywhere between 100 and 250 g, with males typically larger than females. They have a stocky, robust body shape with short limbs and ears. Pelage is predominantly light-brown with subtle black and white coloration on its dorsal side, and a lightly colored tail. Forelimbs have long claws, necessary for burrowing. [6]
The species is endemic to the northern and central regions of the Mendoza province in Argentina, at a range of elevation from 460 to 3600 m. [6]
Members of this species engage in solitary burrowing behavior. Their foreleg claws are their primary method of digging tunnels through the ground, although the incisors may be used occasionally. [6] They generally do not arise above the surface during the day time; however, they have a preference for above ground plant material and will surface to forage for food. [7]
Newborns are highly altricial: after a 3-month gestation period, pups are born half-naked and blind, weaning 56 days after birth and becoming independent after 80 days. [8]
The Mendoza tuco-tuco is an herbivore that feeds preferentially on grasses. Populations in the Andean Precordilla region of Mendoza display high selectivity for grasses and avoidance of shrubs with a preference for above ground plant material, despite a fossorial lifestyle and harsh environmental conditions that lower food availability. [7]
A tuco-tuco is a neotropical rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. Tuco-tucos belong to the only living genus of the family Ctenomyidae, Ctenomys, but they include approximately 60 different species. The common name, "tuco-tuco", comes from the "tuc-tuc" sound they make while they dig their burrows.
Haig's tuco-tuco, known regionally as the Patagonian tuco-tuco, is a hystricognath rodent. Like other tuco-tucos it is subterranean and thus not often observed, although the "tuc-tuc" call of the males can be heard near burrow sites, especially in the early morning. Like most species in the genus Ctenomys, C. haigi are solitary, with one adult per burrow.
The Brazilian tuco-tuco is a tuco-tuco species. It is found mainly in the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil, though Charles Darwin mentions it during his trip through present-day Uruguay.
The Argentine tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to Argentina.
The southern tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to Argentina.
Emily's tuco-tuco, also called Emilio's tuco-tuco, is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to Argentina. This species was named after Emilio Budin, an Argentine specimen collector who worked with Oldfield Thomas.
The reddish tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. Five subspecies have been recognized, some formerly designated as separate species. It is found in Argentina and Bolivia at altitudes from 600 to 4,500 m. This tuco-tuco is fossorial, like others in its genus. Its diet consists of underground tubers and roots. Its karyotype has 2n = 52 and FN = 78.
The tawny tuco-tuco is a species of burrowing rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is found in the desert regions of northern Chile and adjoining areas of Argentina.
The Maule tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile, where it occupies several different types of habitats. It is a common species, and the IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". The common and scientific names refer to a river and region in Chile within its range.
The highland tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is found in high grassland in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru where it lives in burrows.
The Talas tuco-tuco is a species of tuco-tuco endemic to eastern Argentina.
The robust tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is a burrowing rodent and is endemic to the Tucumán Province of Argentina.
The Tucuman tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to Argentina.
Budin's tuco-tuco was formerly considered a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to southeast Jujuy Province in northwest Argentina. Given the extensive human presence in its limited range, it has been suspected to be threatened. The IUCN currently views it as a subspecies of C. frater. It was named after Emilio Budin, an Argentine specimen collector who worked with Oldfield Thomas.
The Puntilla tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to central Argentina. The common name of the species comes from the municipality of La Puntilla at the type locality. It was first described by the British zoologist Oldfield Thomas in 1920 after being collected by Emilio Budin, an Argentine specimen collector who worked with Oldfield Thomas.
D'Orbigny's tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae, named after French naturalist Alcide d'Orbigny. It is found in northeast Argentina. Its karyotype has 2n = 70, FN = 84–88, which is cytogenetically indistinguishable from some populations of C. pearsoni; the latter taxon may actually represent several species.
Flamarion's tuco-tuco or the tuco-tuco of the dunes is a rodent species of the family Ctenomyidae Its karyotype has 2n = 48 and FN = 50–78. It is endemic to the coastal dunes of Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. The species is threatened by habitat loss due to dune removal and urbanization. It is named after Brazilian biologist Luiz Flamarion B. de Oliveira.
Roig's tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to a small region near the Paraná River in Corrientes Province, northeastern Argentina, where lives on sand dunes, and near rivers. Development is degrading and shrinking this habitat, threatening the rodent's survival. The species is named after Argentine zoologist Virgilio G. Roig. Its karyotype has 2n = 48 and FN = 80.
The forest tuco-tuco was formerly considered a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to Salta and southeast Jujuy Provinces in northwest Argentina. The IUCN currently recognizes it as a subspecies of C. frater.
Yolanda's tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. The species is endemic to Santa Fe Province, northeast Argentina, where it lives near the Paraná and San Javier rivers. Its karyotype has 2n = 50 and FN = 78. It is named after Argentine biologist Yolanda Davis.
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