Phyllomys blainvilii
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 blainvilii

description: 87.
Golden Atlantic Tree-rat
Phyllomys blainvilii
French: Rat-épineux doré / German: Goldfarbige Kistenbaumratte / Spanish: Rata arboricola atlantica dorada
Taxonomy. Nelomys blainvilii Jordan, 1837,
“une petite ile sur les cotes du Brésil, pres de Bahia.” Restricted by L. H. Emmons and colleagues in 2002 to “Seabra, Bahia, Brazil, ca. 12°25’S, 41°46'W.”
Phyllomys blainvilii was formerly classified in the genera Loncheres, Echimys, and Nelomys. Monotypic.
Distribution. NE Brazil, from S Ceara to N Minas Geraisstates.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 175-220 mm, tail 192-270 mm; weight 150-320 g. Dorsum of the Golden Atlantic Treerat is ocherous brown, with black streak hairs, and it becomes paler on sides. Dorsum is moderately spiny, with wide (1 mm) and long (24 mm) aristiform hairs that have; dark middle part and orange whip-like tips. Venter is pale cream, with hint of yellowish. Tail is robust and 120% of head-body length. Tail is densely furred, with long darkish or yellowish hairs; tail scales are hidden under these hairs and tuft of 15 mm is present at tip of tail. Darker tail usually contrasts with paler body color. Skull of the Golden Atlantic Tree-rat has well-developed supraorbital ridges and interorbital region with straight borders diverging posteriorly. Zygomatic arch is slender or slightly robust, with maximum height less than or nearly equal to jugal length. Spinose post-orbital process is mainly formed by jugal and small part of squamosal. Lateral process of supraoccipital is short and extends below horizontal midline of external auditory meatus. Incisive foramina are oval. Mesopterygoid fossa forms 45° angle anteriorly, reaching posterior edge of third upper molar. Upper incisors are orthodont. Upper tooth rows are slightly divergent posteriorly. Molar teeth are long and narrow, with palatal width greater than width of M'. Jaw has an angular process deflected laterally.
Habitat. Primary and secondary semideciduous upland forest habitats within the xeric shrubland caatinga, including locally fragmented forests. The Golden Atlantic Tree-rat has a wide distribution, butits area of occupancy is patchy and might represent less than 20,000 km2. It is supposed to be locally common and occurs in forest patches along the Rio Sao Francisco.
Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Golden Atlantic Tree-rat has lophodont cheekteeth and gut morphology that suggest a folivorous diet.
Breeding. The Golden Altlantic Tree-rat nests in tree hollows, and litter sizes are 1-4 embryos. Pregnant females were caught in October at Crato, Ceara State and February-March at Bom Jesus da Lapa, Bahia State. Young Golden Atlantic Tree-rats at different age categories were collected in October-May at different sites in north-eastern Brazil.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but specimen collection data suggest that Golden Atlantic Tree-rats might be nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Golden Atlantic Tree-rat is arboreal and has been reported to live in small groups.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Additional ecological studies of the Golden Atlantic Tree-rat are needed. Its wide distribution, local abundance, and recurrent occurrence in patchy habitats make it unlikely that populations are declining at nearly the level required forlisting it as a threatened species.
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Bibliography. Emmons (1990, 1997a), Emmons et al. (2002), Jourdan (1837), Leite (2003), Leite & Loss (2015), Leite et al. (2008), Loss & Leite (2011), 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 598, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6623649