Phyllomys lundi Leite 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
Echimyidae
Phyllomys
Phyllomys lundi

description: 93.
Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rat
Phyllomys lundi
French: Rat-épineux de Lund / German: Lund-Kistenbaumratte / Spanish: Rata arboricola atlantica de Lund
Taxonomy. Phyllomys lund: Leite, 2003,
“Fazenda do Bené, 4 km SE Passa Vinte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 22°14’S 44°12°’W, 680 m.”
This species is monotypic.
Distribution. SE Brazil, SE Minas Gerais and N Rio de Janeiro states.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 184-209 mm, tail 200-204 mm; weight 145 g. Lund’s Atantic Treerat is among the smallest species of Atlantic tree-rats. It has orange upper part, mixed with black hairs, and neck and thighs are predominantly orange. Spines are conspicuous from neck to tail. Venter is creamy, with white base hairs. Tail is brown, 100-110% of head-body length, and hairy throughoutits length. Forefeet have distinct yellow-brown fur, graywhite on digits. Dorsal parts of hindfeet are furred, with short gold-cream hairs and toes covered with silvery hairs. Skull of Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rat is gracile, with long and narrow rostrum, and typical wide and convex interorbital region. Lower M,is characterized by three transverse laminae. Jaw has short coronoid process and shallow sigmoid notch.
Habitat. Second-growth, broadleaf evergreen rainforests with sparse understory, canopies reaching 20 m, and emergent trees reaching 32 m (based on known localities). Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rats were caught on lianas or tree branches using traps set 1-5 m above the ground near streams. Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rat has reduced distribution and small area of occurrence.
Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rat has lophodont cheekteeth that suggest a folivorous diet.
Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rat probably nests aboveground in tree hollows.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information are available for this species, but Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rats are probably nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. LLund’s Atlantic Tree-rat is arboreal and probably solitary.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rat has been found in the protected area Reserva Biologica de Poco das Antas, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Its extent of occurrence is small, less than 5000 km? It is known from only two localities in highly fragmented forest, and there is continuing decline in quality and availability ofits habitat. Additional ecological studies of Lund’s Atlantic Tree-rat are needed.
Bibliography. Leite (2003), Leite & Loss (2015), 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 602, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6623649