Diplomys caniceps
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Echimyidae
Diplomys
Diplomys caniceps

description: 72.
Colombian Rufous Tree-rat
Diplomys caniceps
French: Rat-épineux a téte grise / German: Graukopf-Baumstachelratte / Spanish: Rata arboricola de Bolivia
Other common names: Arboreal Soft-furred Spiny-rat, Colombian Soft-furred Spiny-rat
Taxonomy. Loncheres caniceps Gunther, 1877,
“Medellin,” Antioquia, Colombia.
Diplomys caniceps has been variously placed in the genera Loncheres or Phyllomys by 19" century authors; first assigned to Diplomys by O. Thomas in 1916. Monotypic.
Distribution. The Caribe Biogeographical Region of NW Colombia, in the Cauca Valley near Medellin, and possibly the Ser-rania de San Lucas in the Bolivar State.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 212-390 mm, tail 178-267 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Colombian Rufous Tree-rat is larger than its congener, the Central American Rufous Tree-rat (D. labilis). Its fur is stiff but soft, without bristles or spines. Overall upper parts are dull rusty, red-brown slightly streaked with dark brown hairs, but bright red on back one-half of body; forequarters are fulvous in some Colombian Rufous Tree-rats. Nose is grayish brown, and pre-auricular grayish patch extends partially to eyes. Face is marked with small whitish spots over eyes and at bases of vibrissae. A few whitish or yellowish spots are present below ear notches and behind ears. Ears are short, rounded, and divided by small anterior lobe and larger posterior lobe. Vibrissae are long, extending backward to shoulders. Belly and chin are whitish, yellowish, or pale orange; some individuals have rich orange venters. Dark rusty fur often occurs on midline of abdomen, extending posteriorly toward base of tail. Robusttail is 90-105% of head-body length and is covered sparsely by dark brown, bristle-like hairs;tail scales are not well exposed beneath hair cover. Forefeet are whitish-brown or gray-brown. Hindfeet are broad, yellow-brown to brown or gray above. Skulls of both species of Diplomys are characteristically convex in outline when viewed laterally. Rostrum is short and narrow; bullae are not inflated but possess well-developed auditory tube thatis oriented anteriorly; and auditory meatus is very close to squamosal bone. Jugal becomes narrow below post-orbital process of zygoma and exhibits an inconspicuous ventral process posterior to dorsal one. Alisphenoid arterial foramen pattern is unique in Diplomys, with short distance between buccinator foramen and foramen ovale. Hamular process of pterygoid bone has developed anteriorly oriented spur. Mandible has large masseteric ridge and characteristic shallow angle of sigmoid notch between condyloid and angular processes. Mandibular foramenis located anteriorly to condyloid ridge and not in a fossa. Cheekteeth are large and long and are highly convergent in occlusal morphology with those of species of Phyllomys. Incisors are strongly curved. Maxillary and mandibular tooth rows are strongly divergent antero-posteriorly, with outward curving of last two molars causing disjunction with straight edge formed by molars M' and M*.
Habitat. Caribe Biogeographical Region rainforest of Colombia. Few data on specific habitats of the highly arboreal Colombian Rufous Tree-rat are available.
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. Additional ecologicalstudies of this rare Colombian endemic are needed.
Bibliography. Alberico et al. (2000), Allen (1916b), Cuervo et al. (1986), Eisenberg (1989), Emmons (1990, 1997a, 2005), Goldman (1916), Gunther (1877a), Mares (1982), Patton et al. (2015), Thomas (1916a, 1916b), Trouessart (1880, 1904), Woods (1993), Woods & Kilpatrick (2005).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Echimyidae, pp. 552-604 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 590, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6623649