Makalata didelphoides
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
Makalata
Makalata didelphoides

description: 85.
Red-nosed Armored Tree-rat
Makalata didelphoides
French: Makalata a nez roux / German: Rotnasen-Breitstachelratte / Spanish: Rata arboricola de Brasil
Other common names: Brazilian Spiny Tree-rat
Taxonomy. Echimys didelphoides Desmarest, 1817,
“Amérique méridionale.”
Makalata didelphoides is synonymous with Mus hispidus, Nelomys armata, Loncheres guianae, Echimys castaneus, E. macrourus, E. longirostris, and E. armatus handleyi. Makalata didelphoides is subdivided into very deep, geographically reciprocally monophyletic mitochondrial clades that should be evaluated for elevation to species status. Monotypic.
Distribution. Most of N Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago Is, the Guianas, Guianan region of Brazil, and E Brazilian Amazonia (E of Rio Madeira and Rio Negro), also NE Brazil E to Ceara State and then SW to NE Bolivia.
Descriptive notes. Head—body 150-250 mm, tail 158-235 mm; weight up to 405 g. The Red-nosed Armored Tree-rat is medium-sized, with drab reddish brown to yellowish dorsal fur streaked with black and having more rusty color on rump and tail base. Fur is a mix of thin bristles and flat, flexible, and sharp spines, sometimes overlapping rusty underfur. Blackish bristles with pale, reddish brown tips are present on mid-back and rump. Inner thighs, throat, and entire belly are buff or pale cream, rarely with whitish parts. Central part of abdomen might be grayish or brownish. One specimen from Bolivia was reported to have dark brown venter. Eyes are dark brown, with faint dull red eye shine. Ears are small and slightly haired. Muzzle is bright rust-red from top of nose to between eyes. Vibrissae are long and coarse, brown in color, and reach posteriorly to shoulders. Tail is 95-100% of head-body length, with 30-40 mm of base well haired, beyond whichtail is nearly naked, covered sparsely only with short brown hairs between scales;tip oftail lacks any tuft of elongated hairs. Haired tail base and thighs are usually tinged bright rust. Hindfeet are short and broad, and they are yellowish to pale red-brown. Cranially, rostrum is short and anteriorly broad relative to skull length. Small incisive foramina are flanked by reduced ridges that extend toward narrow palate. Supraorbital crest is present and extends onto parietal region. Inter orbital region is broad and converges anteriorly. Palatal bone is short and does not extend beyond posterior one-half of second upper molar. Number of tooth folds varies geographically; dP, for example, may be either tetralophodont or pentalophodont. Taxonomic significance of this variation has yet to be studied. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 66 and FN = 106.
Habitat. Seasonally flooded lowland tropical evergreen forest of Guianan and Amazonian basin regions. The Red-nosed Armored Tree-rat has also been found in mangrove forests at the mouth of the Rio Caroni (Venezuela) and is reported to be common in secondary gardens near Wayampi Amerindian villages. It is arboreal and has been trapped mainly in tree canopies, only occasionally on the ground or understory;it is most commonly trapped nearrivers.
Food and Feeding. Stomach contents and field observations of Red-nosed Armored Tree-rats indicate that they consume seeds, leaves, mangrove fruits, and a wide variety of rainforest fruits.
Breeding. Female Red-nosed Armored Tree-rats have been reported with maximum litter sizes of two young.
Activity patterns. The Red-nosed Armored Tree-rat is expected to be nocturnal, but individuals have been found to be active at dusk, sunrise, and during the night. One study reported an activity peak between mid-afternoon and dusk. More thorough longitudinal studies are needed to understand diel patterns of the Red-nosed Armored Tree-rat and determine what causes this unusual echimyid attribute.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Red-nosed Armored Tree-rat is apparently solitary and nests in tree hollows. It is very difficult to trap, and data based on classical trapping techniques reveal very low success rates (00-009 ind/100 trap nights).
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Red-nosed Armored Tree-rat has a wide distribution and is known to occur in a variety of primary and secondary forests, including human disturbed gardens. It occurs in several protected areas throughout its broad distribution, particularly in Bolivia and Brazil.
Bibliography. Alberico et al. (2000), Allen (1899b), Allen & Chapman (1893), Catzeflis (2012), Desmarest (1817), Eisenberg (1989), Eisenberg & Redford (1999), Emmons (1990, 1993, 1997a, 2005), Fischer (1829), Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1838a, 1840), Goldman (1916), Goodwin (1962), Hershkovitz (1948), Husson (1978), Jentink (1879), Lambert et al. (2005), Lichtenstein (1830), Lim (2012), Lima et al. (1998), Mauffrey (1999), Mauffrey & Catzeflis (2003), Mauffrey et al. (2007), Patton, Pardinas & D’Elia (2015), Patton, da Silva & Malcolm (2000), Pereira et al. (2013), Pittier & Tate (1932), Rocha et al. (2011), da Silva, C.R. et al. (2013), da Silva, M.N.F & Patton (1993), Tate (1935, 1939), Thomas (1888, 1912b), Trouessart (1897, 1904), Voss & Weksler (2009), Wagner (1845), 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 pages 594-595, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6623649