Ctenomyidae Author Don E. Wilson Author Thomas E. Lacher, Jr Author Russell A. Mittermeier text 2016 2016-07-31 Lynx Edicions Barcelona Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I 498 534 book chapter 61364 10.5281/zenodo.6588177 e3c7ddc9-124f-4f96-9adb-e2bb222f3210 978-84-941892-3-4 6588177 45. White-toothed Tuco-tuco Ctenomys leucodon French: Tuco-tuco a dents blanches / German: \WeiRzahnkammratte / Spanish: Tuco tuco de dientes blancos Other common names: Titicaca Tuco-tuco Taxonomy. Ctenomys leucodon Waterhouse, 1848 , “San Andrés de Machaca, ... south of the Lake Titicaca, Department of La Paz, Bolivia.” Restricted by O. Thomas in 1927 to “ca. 4,000 m, 16°44’ S 69°01’ W.” Ctenomys leucodon is not classified in any species group. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 36 and FN = 68, and sperm form is unknown. Monotypic. Distribution. Andean altiplano, in S Peru (Puno Region) and W Bolivia (La Paz Department). Descriptive notes. Head—body 115-172 mm, tail 79-85 mm, ear 3-8, hindfoot 27-34 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The White-toothed Tuco-tuco is medium-sized. Dorsum is clay colored, with hairs of slate-gray at bases, clay-colored bands in middle, and ending in black tips. Tail is dark brown above and slightly paler below. Venter is near tawny-olive, and chest is reddish. Head and sides of muzzle are darker, and cheeks are buckthorn brown. Upper incisors of the White-toothed Tucotuco are quite different from other species of tuco-tucos, strongly procumbent and covered with white or pale yellowish white enamel. Habitat. Altiplano open grasslands in primary habitat and areas disturbed by grazing. The White-toothed Tuco-tuco is fossorial and herbivorous; it eats underground tubers and roots. Colonies are found in areas with friable soils. Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species. Breeding. A single pregnant White-toothed Tuco-tuco with one embryo was observed in August in Bolivia. Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species. Movements, Home range and Social organization. White-toothed Tuco-tucos seems to be particularly non-vocal. They make large earthen mounds. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Bibliography. Anderson (1997), Anderson et al. (1987), Bidau (2015), Contreras & Bidau (1999), Parada et al. (2011), Pearson (1959b), Sanborn & Pearson (1947), Thomas (1927a).