''Microryzomys minutus'', also known as the montane colilargo or the forest small rice rat, 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 genus ''

Microryzomys ''Microryzomys'' is a genus of rodent in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae. It is closely related to '' Oreoryzomys'', '' Oligoryzomys'', and ''Neacomys''.Weksler, 2006 It contains two species, both restricted to the Andes: '' M. altissim ...

'' of family

Cricetidae The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and New World rats and mice. At almost 608 species, it is the second-largest family of mammals, and has m ...

. It is found in

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

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 ...

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 ...

, and

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

, but these populations may represent more than one species.

Description

The montane colilargo is an ochraceous-tawny colour with very little contrast between the dorsal and ventral surfaces. The tail is unicoloured and is at least long in the adult animal. The upper surfaces of the feet have dark markings, and the hind feet are relatively wide, with large metatarsal pads. The skull is narrower, shorter and less robust than that of the closely related ''

Microryzomys altissimus ''Microryzomys altissimus'', also known as the Páramo colilargo or highland small rice rat, is a species of rodent in the genus ''Microryzomys'' of family Cricetidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, but the Colombian segment may be a ...

'', and all these characteristics help to distinguish between the two species. The

karyotype A karyotype is the general appearance of the complete set of metaphase chromosomes in the cells of a species or in an individual organism, mainly including their sizes, numbers, and shapes. Karyotyping is the process by which a karyotype is disce ...

is characterized as 2n=58.

Distribution and habitat

The species is native to the South American Andes where it is mostly present at altitudes of between , but exceptionally between . Its range includes the Caribbean coastal ranges and the

Cordillera de Mérida The Cordillera de Mérida is a series of mountain ranges, or massif, in northwestern Venezuela. The Cordillera de Mérida is a northeastern extension of the Andes Mountains and the most important branch of the Venezuelan Andes. The ranges run south ...

in Venezuela, the Cordillera Occidental, Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental in Colombia, and the high Andes of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. It inhabits a variety of moist forest habitats including both primary and secondary woodland, rainforests, pine forests, subalpine scrub and the fringes of the

páramo Páramo () can refer to a variety of alpine tundra ecosystems located in the Andes Mountain Range, South America. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as "all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline". A narrower ...

. In Venezuela it is believed to be the commonest rodent in the

cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud c ...

Ecology

The omnivorous diet of ''M. minutus'' includes seeds, fruits, grass stems, insects and insect larvae. Although normally observed on the ground, the longer tail and larger pads on the soles may indicate that it is partially arboreal and it probably climbs more than does ''M. altissimus''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1763674 Microryzomys Mammals of Colombia Mammals described in 1860 Páramo fauna Taxa named by Robert Fisher Tomes Taxonomy articles created by Polbot