__NOTOC__ The Bolivian bamboo rat (''Dactylomys boliviensis''), is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of spiny rat from

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

Description

The Bolivian bamboo rat is one of the largest species of spiny rat, with an adult head-body length of about and a tail long. It is also unusual in having a hairless tail, soft (rather than spiny) fur, and only four visible toes on the fore-feet. Most of the body is covered in soft grizzled greyish hair, and marked with blackish streaks. A darker line runs down the centre of the back, while the underparts have only sparse, white fur. The long tail is hairless, except at the base, and covered with large, pentagonal scales. The fifth toe on the forefeet is

vestigial Vestigiality is the retention, during the process of evolution, of genetically determined structures or attributes that have lost some or all of the ancestral function in a given species. Assessment of the vestigiality must generally rely on co ...

, consisting only of a tiny claw located on a tubercle at the side of the foot. The third and fourth toes are widely separated, giving the rat a grasp that has been likened to that of

primate Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians ( monkeys and apes, the latter including ...

s. The head has a distinctive blunt nose, and long whiskers. There is also a strong-smelling

scent gland Scent gland are exocrine glands found in most mammals. They produce semi-viscous secretions which contain pheromones and other semiochemical compounds. These odor-messengers indicate information such as status, territorial marking, mood, and s ...

just above the

sternum The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bone located in the central part of the chest. It connects to the ribs via cartilage and forms the front of the rib cage, thus helping to protect the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels from injury. Sha ...

Distribution and habitat

Bolivian bamboo rats are found in central Bolivia, southeastern

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

, and extreme western

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. However, within this range, they are found only in specific habitats, inhabiting dense

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

thickets below altitude, or along densely vegetated riverbanks.

Biology and behaviour

Bolivian bamboo rats feed on bamboo, stripping away the outer bark to gnaw at the stems. They are nocturnal, sleeping through the day in nests of tangled vines located in tree branches above the ground. Population densities can be high, and one individual studied had a

home range A home range is the area in which an animal lives and moves on a periodic basis. It is related to the concept of an animal's territory which is the area that is actively defended. The concept of a home range was introduced by W. H. Burt in 1943. He ...

of just . The rats are agile climbers, and move through heavy vegetation almost silently. When disturbed, the freeze in place, or run swiftly up into trees. Moving only at night, and then slowly and in areas of dense vegetation, Bolivian bamboo rats can be difficult to observe. However, they do make distinctive calls, which may carry over long distances, and are apparently used to communicate with one another. These calls consist of a series of short, staccato grunts, and have compared to those of

toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scient ...

s. The calls are often made while the rats are perched on branches, or after

scent mark In ethology, territory is the sociographical area that an animal consistently defends against conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against animals of other species) using agonistic behaviors or (less commonly) real physical aggression. A ...

ing with their sternal glands. Other nearby individuals often respond with calls of their own.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1765010 Dactylomys Mammals described in 1920