The dark spiny tree-rat (''Echimys saturnus'') is a species of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...

in the family

Echimyidae Echimyidae is the family of neotropical spiny rats and their fossil relatives. This is the most species-rich family of hystricognath rodents. It is probably also the most ecologically diverse, with members ranging from fully arboreal to terres ...

. It is a rarely encountered and nocturnal species, found in eastern

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

and central

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. Compared to ''

Echimys chrysurus The white-faced spiny tree-rat (''Echimys chrysurus'') is a spiny rat species from South America. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname. The etymology of the species name derives from the two ancient greek Ancien ...

'', the main diagnostic character state of this ''

Echimys ''Echimys'' is a genus of the spiny rats family, the Echimyidae. Members of this genus are collectively called spiny tree-rats. The genus name ''Echimys'', and also its synonym ''Echinomys'', derive from the two Ancient Greek words (), meani ...

'' species is the mostly black dorsal part of the head and body. In addition, ''E. saturnus'' can be distinguished from ''

Echimys vieirai ''Echimys vieirai'' is a spiny rat species from South America, described in 2005. It is found in Brazil. The species name ''vieirai'' is a patronym for the Brazilian mammalogist Carlos Octaviano da Cunha Vieira, curator of the Mammal Collection ...

'' by possessing a venter spotted with white while it is uniformly grayish brown in the latter species.

References

Echimys Mammals described in 1928 Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Echimyidae-stub

See also

References