Handleyomys saturatior

415.

Cloud Forest Rice Rat

“Handleyomys” saturatior

French: Oryzomys sombre / German: Bergwald-Reisratte / Spanish: Rata arrocera de bosque nuboso

Other common names: Cloud Forest Oryzomys

Taxonomy. Oryzomys chapmani saturatior Merriam, 1901, Tumbala, 5000 ft (= 1524 m), Chiapas, Mexico.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Chiapas, Mexico, through Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, to NW Nicaragua.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 90-103 mm, tail 105-122 mm, hindfoot 25-28 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Cloud Forest Rice Ratis a small-sized species of “ Handleyomys,” » characterized by dark overall color. Upperparts are cinnamon brownish, very heavily mixed with black; top of head and median dorsal area are blackish; underparts, except chin and throat, vary from light to dark ocherous buff; chin and throat are more or less distinctly whitish; ears are black; feet are brownish to toes; toes are dull yellowish, with those on hindfeet having silvery terminal bristles; and tail is usually dark all around.

Habitat. Cloud forests at elevations of 750-2500 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Paucity of information about the Cloud Forest Rice Rat suggests that Data Deficient is a better classification.

Bibliography. Goldman (1918a), Merriam (1901a), Musser & Carleton (2005), Reid, Vazquez, Emmons & Mc-Carthy (2008).