Phyllomys pattoni Emmons 2002
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
Phyllomys
Phyllomys pattoni

description: 91.
Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat
Phyllomys pattoni
French: Rat-épineux a flancs roux / German: Patton-Kiistenbaumratte / Spanish: Rata arboricola atlantica de Patton
Other common names: Rusty-sided Atlantic Tree-rat
Taxonomy. Phyllomys pattoni Emmons et al., 2002,
“Mangue do Caritoti, Caravelas, Bahia, Brazil, 17°43°30” S 39°15’35”"W: at sea level.”
The name P. pattoni was given to specimens erroneously identified as P. brasiliensis for more than a century. These specimens had previously been identified as Loncheres, Echimys, and Nelomys. Monotypic.
Distribution. E Brazil, along the coast from Paraiba to NE Sao Paulo states.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 209-241 mm, tail 190-223 mm; weight 150-380 g. Upper part of Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat is dark brown and covered by abundant rustytipped spines. Spines are light gray at bases, darkening toward middle parts and having orange tips. Dorsal pelt is spiny, with short (23 mm) and wide (1 mm) aristiforms, most of them lacking typical whip-like tips present in most other species of Phyllomys. Tail is slightly shorter than head-body length, covered with scattered hairs, leaving scalesvisible;tail tip is not tufted. Skull of Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat is broad and robust. It has well-developed and beaded supraorbital ledges. Interorbital region diverges posteriorly and lacks post-orbital processes. Zygomatic arch is robust, with maximum height reaching one-third of Jugal length. Spinose post-orbital process is present and composed ofjugal and squamosal. Lateral process of supraoccipital is long, reaching ventrally to level of midline of external auditory meatus. Incisive foramina are bullet-shaped. Upper incisors are orthodont. Upper tooth rows are short and narrow. Molar teeth are narrow, with palatal width equal to width of M'. Angular process ofjaw is deflected laterally.
Habitat. Mostly coastal broadleaf evergreen rainforests, sometimes associated with mangroves, but also semideciduous forest inland, from sea level to elevations of ¢.1000 m. Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat is broadly distributed and locally common, occurring in primary and secondary habitats, including protected areas. It also occurs in highly disturbed urban areas, where it is sympatric with invasive rodents such as the Roof Rat (Rattus rattus). Its habitat is highly fragmented and reduced in some parts ofits distribution.
Food and Feeding. One stomach of a Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat contained plant material, and gut morphology is indicative of an herbivorous diet. Its small intestine is the longest found among four arboreal echimyid genera, indicating possibility of more diverse diets, including fruits, leaves, and insects.
Breeding. Pregnant Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rats carrying two embryos were caught in February at Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, and in August at Vicosa, Minas Gerais. A Juvenile was collected in March at Ilhéus, Bahia. It is reported to build nests aboveground, usually in tree hollows.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat is probably nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat is arboreal and probably solitary.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Forest habitat where Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat occursis highly fragmented and reduced. Nevertheless, Patton’s Atlantic Tree-rat is widely distributed, often detected in field studies, and abundant in collections. Its distribution includes several large protected areas, including urban forests and mangroves.
Bibliography. Emmons (1990, 1997a), Emmons et al. (2002), Leite (2003), Leite & Loss (2015), Loss & Leite (2011), Paresque et al. (2004), 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 599, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6623649