Heteromys oasicus Anderson 2003
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
Heteromyidae
Heteromys
Heteromys oasicus

description: 9.
Paraguana Spiny Pocket Mouse
Heteromys oasicus
French: Souris-a-ajaboues de Paraguana / German: Paraguané-Stacheltaschenmaus / Spanish: Raton espinoso de Paraguana
Taxonomy. Heteromys oasicus R. P. Anderson, 2003,
49 km N, 32 km W Coro, Cerro Santa Ana, 550 m, Falcon, Venezuela.
With the exception of H. desmarestianus in the north-western corner of Colombia, the South American spiny pocket mice all belong to the anomalus species group: H. anomalus, H. catopterius, H. oasicus, H. australis, and H. teleus. Only H. australis exists outside of South American, in eastern Panama. Monotypic.
Distribution. NW Venezuela (Cerro Santa Ana and Fila de Monte Cano on Paraguana Peninsula, Falcon).
Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 118 mm, tail mean 119 mm, ear mean 17 mm, hindfoot mean 29 mm; weight mean 44 g. Male Paraguana Spiny Pocket Mice somewhat larger than females. It is scansorial, small-sized for the genus, with coarse adult pelage having abundantstiff, flattened spine-like hairs on dorsal and lateral surfaces of body. Upper pelage is thin (spines and other hairs) and extremely pale for the genus, pale brown and strongly grizzled, with thin ocherous hairs intermixed with spines and little or no dark color on forelimbs. There is no buffy lateral line, and belly is white. Ears are large and pale brown in color. Posterior parts of soles of hindfeet are naked. Tail is moderately haired, strongly bicolored (darker on upper part), and relatively long. Cheekteeth have high crowns, and lower premolar has 3-4 lophids. Auditory bullae are only moderately inflated. Chromosomal complement has not been described. The Paraguana Spiny Pocket Mouse is markedly smaller than its sister taxon, the Trinidad Spiny Pocket Mouse (H. anomalus), has relatively shorter and more strongly tapering nasals, had relatively wider braincase, has paler dorsal pelage, and lacks distinct patch of dark color on forelimbs, which the latter species possesses.
Habitat. Known only from Cerro Santa Ana and the Fila de Monte Cano on Paraguana Peninsula. The two known populations are isolated from each another. Most specimens are from cloud forest and stunted vegetation types above elevations of ¢.550 m on Cerro Santa Ana. On Monte Cano, specimens were captured among terrestrial bromeliads in the bed of a dry, seasonal stream in a semideciduous forest. The Paraguana Spiny Pocket Mouse is probably isolated from the Trinidad Spiny Pocket Mouse by the arid thorn forest that extends throughout lowlands of the Paraguana Peninsula.
Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.
Breeding. There is no information available for this species.
Activity patterns. The Paraguana Spiny Pocket mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Paraguana Spiny Pocket Mouse has a very restricted distribution (less than 22 km?) and occurs in fragmented populations. Main conservations threats include grazing by domestic goats and resultant defoliation of native vegetation and soil erosion. Furthermore, construction of infrastructure for tourism and small-scale mining projects are planned on Monte Cano.
Bibliography. Anderson (2003), Anderson & Ochoa (2008).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Heteromyidae, pp. 170-233 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 198, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6611160