11.

Forest Tuco-tuco

Ctenomys frater

French: Tuco-tuco des foréts / German: \Waldkammratte / Spanish: Tuco tuco de bosque

Other common names: Red Tuco-tuco, Reddish Tuco-tuco

Taxonomy. Ctenomys frater Thomas, 1902,

“Potosi,” Bolivia, 19°35" 8, 65°45" W, c.4300 m.

Ctenomys frater was initially classified in the Bolivian-Paraguayan group but is in the fraterspecies group based on mtDNA. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 52 and FN = 78 (mordosus), and sperm is simple symmetric. Five subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

C. f. frater Thomas, 1902 — S Bolivia (E Potosi Department).

C. f. barbarous Thomas, 1921 — NW Argentina (S Jujuy and adjacent Salta provinces).

C. f. budini Thomas, 1913 — NW Argentina (high altitudes in Jujuy and WC Salta provinces).

C. f. mordosus Thomas, 1926 — S Bolivia (S Tarija); possibly adjacent N Argentina (Jujuy Province).

C. f. sylvanus Thomas, 1919 — NW Argentina (base of Andes in E Jujuy and W Salta provinces).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 173-196 mm, tail 55-76 mm, ear 7-9 mm, hindfoot 31-36 mm (specimens of mordosus from Bolivia); total length 230-300 mm and tail 50-85 mm (specimens from Jujuy, Argentina). No specific data are available for body weight. The Forest Tuco-tuco is small to medium-sized. Color of nominotypical subspecies and mordosus is brown, with dull buffy under parts without inguinal light regions; colors of specimens from Salta province, Argentina, are dark russet to black, and specimens from Jujuy province are reddish or coppery. Skull is vaulted, incisors are larger and heavier, and upper incisors are almost orthodont.

Habitat. Mesic forests in Salta province, Argentina. The Forest Tuco-tuco inhabits flat areas with deep soil, often near creeks.

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. The Forest Tuco-tuco does not appear to burrow as extensively as desert species of Ctenomys, and it also appears to be less vocal.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Subspecies budini and sylvanus are classified as Data Deficient (as C. budini and C. sylvanus, respectively).

Bibliography. Bidau (2015), Contreras & Bidau (1999), Cook & Salazar-Bravo (2004), Diaz & Barquez (2002), Diaz et al. (1997), Mares et al. (1981), Parada et al. (2011), Ruedas et al. (1993), Thomas (1912a, 1926a), Vitullo & Cook (1991).