Dactylomys peruanus J. A. Allen 1900
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
Dactylomys
Dactylomys peruanus

description: 67.
Montane Bamboo Rat
Dactylomys peruanus
French: Coro-coro du Pérou / German: Peru-Fingerratte / Spanish: Rata de bambu de Peru
Other common names: Peruvian Bamboo Rat
Taxonomy. Dactylomys peruanus J. A. Al-len, 1900,
“Juliaca, Peru, altitude 6000 feet [1828 m].” Corrected by J. A. Allen in 1901 to “Inca mines [= Santo Domingo Mine], about 200 miles north of Juliaca, on the east side of the Andes, on the Inam-bary [Inambari] River, Puno, Peru.”
This species is monotypic.
Distribution. E Andean slopes from C Peru to W Bolivia.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 240 mm, tail 320 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Montane Bamboo Rat is small, with distinct, very soft fur without any harsh bristles as found in congeners. Ears are small and nearly hidden underfur. Tail is ¢.130% of head-body length and is heavily furred along base, becoming more lightly furred distally, where it ends in distinct dark tufted tip. This tail feature is also unique among congeners. Dorsum is olivaceous, with grayish brown muzzle and forehead but without stripe over top of head. Dorsal hairs are bicolored, buffy at the tips and buffy gray at bases. Rump and flanks are paler due to hairs with longer buffy tips. Color of thighs and lateral tail base ranges from that of dorsum to bright orange. Overall, venter is whitish, but mid-venter may be dusky, washed with buff. Similar to several mountain rodent species,fur is soft, nearly woolly, with long hairs on wrist and heel. Blackish vibrissae are very long and extend backward to shoulder level. Skull of the Montane Bamboo Rat is smaller but similar to that of other species of Dactylomys. Paraoccipital processes are oriented anteriorly and in contact with auditory bulla as in the Bolivian Bamboo Rat (D. boliviensis).
Habitat. Mossy cloud forest where it appears restricted to bamboo thickets at elevations of 1000-3300 m. Type specimen of the Montane Bamboo Rat was collected on the ground along a creek at night. Individuals have been observed in wet bamboo forest of Chusquea sp. (Poaceae) within Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary, Peru.
Food and Feeding. Stomach contents suggest that bamboo leaves are the major food item of Montane Bamboo Rats.
Breeding. There is no information available for this species.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Montane Bamboo Rat is nocturnal like other bamboo rats.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. In the Willkapampa (= Vilcabamba) region of Peru, Montane Bamboo Rats were reported to make bird-like calls.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Additional ecological studies of the rare Montane Bamboo Rat are needed to adequately assess its conservation status.
Bibliography. Allen (1900, 1901, 1916b), Eisenberg & Redford (1999), Emmons (1990, 1997a, 2005), Patton, Pardinas & D'Elia (2015), Patton, da Silva & Malcolm (2000), SalazarBravo & Emmons (2003), Thomas (1927c¢), 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 586-587, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6623649