Cricetidae
Author
Don E. Wilson
Author
Russell A. Mittermeier
Author
Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
text
2017
2017-11-30
Lynx Edicions
Barcelona
Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II
204
535
book chapter
80832
10.5281/zenodo.6707142
ab66b2b7-9544-4411-bf61-5bc3651d7bca
978-84-16728-04-6
6707142
615.
Gardner’s Climbing Rat
Rhipidomys gardneri
French:
Rhipidomys de Gardner
/
German:
GardnerNeuweltklettermaus
/
Spanish:
Rata trepadora de Gardner
Other common names:
Gardner's Climbing Mouse
,
Gardner's Rhipidomys
Taxonomy.
Rhipidomys gardner: Patton, M. N. F. da Silva & Malcolm, 2000
,
Reserva
Cusco
Amazonico, left (= north) bank of the Rio
Madre de Dios
,
14 km
east of Puerto Maldonado,
Departamento de Madre de Dios
,
Peru
.
This species is monotypic.
Distribution.
E Peru (from Loreto to Madre de Dios regions), W Brazil (Acre State), and NW Bolivia (La Paz Department).
Descriptive notes.
Head-body 161-190 mm, tail 177-194 mm, ear 19-20 mm, hindfoot 31-38 mm; weight 126-155 g. Gardner’s Climbing Rat is large, with relatively short and coarse dorsal fur, gray to orange-brown-agouti in color; venter is fulvous to yellow, with gray-based hairs limited to midline of throat and chest. Tail is 110-140% of head-body length, uniformly brown, and covered with short hair, terminating in short pencil not exceeding 6 mm. Ears are moderate in size and dark brown. Hindfeet are long but broad, with narrow dark dorsal patch limited to metatarsals (not extending onto digits).
Habitat.
Undisturbed lowland evergreen forest at elevations below 200 m to above 2500 m.
Food and Feeding.
Little is known, but stomach content of one Gardner’s Climbing Rat contained insect larvae.
Breeding.
Females can become pregnant while still lactating; e.g. one female captured when nursing a litter of three young was pregnant with four 20mm embryos.
Activity patterns.
Gardner’s Climbing Ratis arboreal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
No information.
Status and Conservation.
Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.
Bibliography.
Pacheco & Peralta (2011), Patton et al. (2000), Tribe (1996, 2015), Vivaret al. (2008), Voss & Emmons (1996).