Abrocoma famatina Thomas 1920

7.

Famatina Chinchilla Rat

Abrocoma famatina

French: Abrocome du Famatina / German: Famatina-Chinchillaratte / Spanish: Rata chinchilla de Famatina

Taxonomy. Abrocoma famatina Thomas, 1920,

“La Invernada, Famatina Range, Rioja, 3800 m,” Argentina.

Abrocoma famatina is one ofsix species in the “ A. cinerea complex” that were formerly classified as subspecies of that taxon.

Monotypic.

Distribution. NW Argentina (NW Rioja), known only from the Sierra de Famatina, the type series was from 35 km N of Nevado de Famatina Mt.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 164-182 mm, tail 108-117 mm, ear 23-26 mm, hindfoot 28-30 mm. Upper parts of the Famatina Chinchilla Rat are ashy gray, with brownish tints on mid-dorsum and rump. Under parts are pale gray, with white or pale-drab hair tips; hairs are gray basally. Throatis darker than belly, and there is a white-haired sternal gland on both sexes. Feet are white above, and tail is bicolored, grayish above and whitish below. Ears are blackish distally and flesh-colored basally. Greatest length of skull is 43-45 mm.

Habitat. There is little specific information for this species, but O. Thomas noted that the original collector, E. Budin, said that the Famatina Chinchilla Rat “lives under rocks and in their clefts and fissures.”

Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Famatina Chinchilla Rat is known from only six specimens.

Bibliography. Braun & Mares (2002), Thomas (1920b).