The Chalchalero viscacha rat or Chalchalero vizcacha rat (''Tympanoctomys loschalchalerosorum'') is a species of
caviomorph rodent in the family
Octodontidae.
It was formerly considered to be
monotypic within the genus ''Salinoctomys'',
but has been shown by genetic analysis to nest within ''
Tympanoctomys'', and in particular, within the variation of ''
T. barrerae''.
The species is
endemic to a small area of northwestern
Argentina, where it lives in
shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...
s bordering the
salt flats of the
Salinas Grandes
The Salinas Grandes ('Salina' is a spanish word for salt flat) is a large salt flat in central-northern Argentina, spanning the borders of four provinces ( Córdoba, Catamarca, La Rioja and Santiago del Estero), at an average altitude of abov ...
.
Its diet consists of
halophyte plants.
It is named after an Argentine musical group,
Los Chalchaleros
Los Chalchaleros were an Argentine musical folkloric ensemble consisting of four men, and one of the most famous folk singers in the history of Latin America. The group was established in 1948 in the northern province of Salta. It was named after ...
, whose songs were popular with its discoverers.
Description
The Chalchalero viscacha rat is a medium-sized species of rat. Its dorsal fur is dark brownish black while its underparts are white. The hairs on its back are about long and have a grey base, a brown band and a black tip, and the guard hairs are a uniform darkish brown. This viscacha rat reaches a head-and-body length of with a tail length of . The tail is relatively long, clad with hair along its entire length and ends with a black tassel. The soles of the feet have six pads, and there is a fringe of hairs around the feet.
Status
It is only found within an area totalling less than and it actually occupies only about one tenth of that area. It lives among the salt-loving plants that grow between the salt pans and the dense thorn scrub typical of the surrounding area. Its population is decreasing and the
International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "
critically endangered".
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1059502
Mammals described in 2000
Mammals of Argentina
Tympanoctomys