The Magdalena rat (''Xenomys nelsoni'') 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

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 ...

which is found only in a small region of western

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. It is the only species in the genus ''Xenomys''. The common name comes from the village where the first specimen was collected, and the second part of the scientific name refers to the collector.

Description

The Magdalena rat is a relatively large member of its family, measuring in length, including the tail. Adults weigh an average of . The general body colour is cinnamon to yellowish brown, being paler on the head and fading to creamy white on the underparts. It can be distinguished from other local rat-like species by the presence of white spots above the eyes and behind the ears; the cheeks are also marked with white fur. The tail is both hairy and scaly, and is dark brown in colour.

Distribution and habitat

The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Colima Colima (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Colima ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Colima), is one of the 31 states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and ...

and southwest

Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...

, along the Pacific coast of

. It is estimated to inhabit an area of no more than . Within this region, it is found in dense tropical forests at elevations up to . There are no recognised subspecies.

Biology and behaviour

The species is

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...

and

nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...

. They use branches and vines in dense vegetation to travel from tree to tree, and mostly remain between above the ground. They spend the day sleeping in spherical nests constructed in tree hollows. The nests are lined with grass and kapok fruit fibres. They also use specific

latrine A latrine is a toilet or an even simpler facility that is used as a toilet within a sanitation system. For example, it can be a communal trench in the earth in a camp to be used as emergency sanitation, a hole in the ground (pit latrine), or m ...

s, either in tree hollows or at the forks of branches. They breed between late May and November, and give birth to one or two young at a time. An

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

, it is threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation due to

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...

and development. It is known from only three localities, and is believed to have a very low, and declining, population.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1550989 Neotominae Endemic mammals of Mexico Mammals described in 1892 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Jalisco dry forests