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
340.
Ferreira’s Fish-eating Rat
Neusticomys ferreirai
French:
Ichthyomys de Ferreira
/
German:
Ferreira-Fischratte
/
Spanish:
Rata pescadora de Ferreira
Other common names:
Ferreira’s Ichthyomyine
Taxonomy.
Neusticomys ferreirai Percequillo, Carmignotto & M. J. J. Silva, 2005
,
20 km
W of the left bank of the Rio Juruena, in the municipality ofJuruena,
Mato Grosso
,
Brazil
.
This species is monotypic.
Distribution.
Scattered Amazonian lowland localities in NC Brazil S of Amazon River.
Descriptive notes.
Head-body 106-114 mm, tail 75-95 mm, ear 8:5-12 mm, hindfoot 21-23 mm; weight 31-36 g. Ferreira’s Fish-eating Rat is a small species of Neuticomys. Dorsum is glossy brown, grizzled with orange; dorsal part of head is colored like body; cheeks predominantly orange; and venter is grayish orange buffy, indistinctly paler than dorsal pelage, harsher, and shorter. Eyes are small. Ears are small, rounded, conspicuous above fur of head and well-covered with short,stiff, dark brown hairs. Mystacial vibrissae are sparse and short, not surpassing ears when laid back alongside head. Dorsal surface of manus and pes are covered with short dark brown hairs; hindfeet have natatory fringe weakly developed on lateral metatarsal and tarsal margins; and short webbing occurs between pedal second, third, and fourth digits. Tail is short and unicolored, densely covered with long dark brown hairs. The few known specimens consistently have very small M?; M, are sometimes absent.
Habitat.
Terra firma forests near small, slow-moving, clear-water, sandy-bottomed streams surrounded by primary forest with 25-30m high canopy bearing various epiphytes; subcanopy open with regularly spaced dicotyledonous trees and palms and abundant lianas (woody vines).
Food and Feeding.
Arthropod remains (Crustacea) were found in a stomach of one Ferreira’s Fish-eating Rat.
Breeding.
A pregnant Ferreira’s Fish-eating Rat with five large embryos was recorded in middle of dry season (June).
Activity patterns.
Ferreira’s Fish-eating Rat is semi-aquatic.
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
No information.
Status and Conservation.
Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Ferreira’s Fish-eating Rat was only recently discovered, and there is very little information on its extent of occurrence, status, and ecological requirements.
Bibliography.
Braga & Duda (2017), Miranda et al. (2012), Percequillo & Weksler (2008a), Percequillo et al. (2005), Voss (2015b).