Chinchilla rat
Encyclopedia
Chinchilla rats or chinchillones are members of the family Abrocomidae. This family has few members compared to most rodent families with only 9 known living species. They resemble Chinchilla
s in appearance, with a similar soft fur and silvery-grey color, but have a body-structure more like a short-tailed rat
. They are social, tunnel-dwelling animals, and live in the Andes Mountains of South America
. They are probably herbivorous
, although this is not clear.
They can be described as medium sized. Stiff hairs project over the three middle digits of the rear feet. Their massive skulls narrow in the facial areas. Some molecular work
, suggests that, despite their appearance, they may be more closely related to octodontoids such as degu
s, nutria, and tuco-tuco
s than they are to chinchillas and viscacha
s.
Chinchilla
Chinchillas are crepuscular rodents, slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels, and are native to the Andes mountains in South America. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae....
s in appearance, with a similar soft fur and silvery-grey color, but have a body-structure more like a short-tailed rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
. They are social, tunnel-dwelling animals, and live in the Andes Mountains of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. They are probably herbivorous
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
, although this is not clear.
They can be described as medium sized. Stiff hairs project over the three middle digits of the rear feet. Their massive skulls narrow in the facial areas. Some molecular work
Molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...
, suggests that, despite their appearance, they may be more closely related to octodontoids such as degu
Degu
The degu is a small caviomorph rodent that is endemic to central Chile.It is sometimes referred to as the brush-tailed rat, and is also called the common degu, to distinguish it from the other members of the genus Octodon. Other members are also called degus, but they are distinguished by...
s, nutria, and tuco-tuco
Tuco-tuco
The tuco-tucos are members of a group of rodents that belong to the family Ctenomyidae. The tuco-tucos belong to a single genus: Ctenomys, but they include some 60 different species. The relationships among the species are debated by taxonomists. Their closest relatives are degus and other...
s than they are to chinchillas and viscacha
Viscacha
Viscachas or vizcachas are rodents of two genera in the family Chinchillidae. They are closely related to chinchillas, and look similar to rabbits...
s.
Species
- Family Abrocomidae - chinchilla rats
- †Protabrocoma
- †Protabrocoma antigua
- AbrocomaAbrocomaAbrocoma is a genus of abrocomid rodents found in the Andes of South America, from southern Peru to central Chile. The genus contains eight species, most of which are found in isolated mountain ranges in northwestern Argentina.- Species :...
- Abrocoma bennettii - Bennett's Chinchilla RatBennett's Chinchilla RatBennett's Chinchilla Rat is a species of chinchilla rat in the Abrocomidae family.It is found only in Chile.-References:...
- Abrocoma boliviensis - Bolivian Chinchilla RatBolivian Chinchilla RatThe Bolivian Chinchilla Rat is a species of chinchilla rat in the Abrocomidae family. It is found only in Manuel María Caballero Province, Bolivia...
- Abrocoma budini - Budin's Chinchilla RatBudin's Chinchilla RatBudin's Chinchilla Rat is a species of chinchilla rat in the family Abrocomidae. Found only in Argentina, the categorization of this species was based on analysis a single specimen. In 2002, Braun and Mares from the University of Oklahoma examined this specimen and confirmed it to be a separate...
- Abrocoma cinerea - Ashy Chinchilla RatAshy Chinchilla RatThe Ashy Chinchilla Rat is a species of chinchilla rat in the family Abrocomidae.They are found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.-Description:...
- Abrocoma famatina - Famatina Chinchilla RatFamatina Chinchilla RatThe Famatina Chinchilla Rat is a species of chinchilla rat in the family Abrocomidae found only in Argentina....
- Abrocoma schistacea - Sierra Del Tontai Chinchilla Rat
- Abrocoma uspallata - Uspallata Chinchilla RatUspallata Chinchilla RatThe Uspallata Chinchilla Rat is a species of chinchilla rat in the family Abrocomidae native to Argentina. This species was identified in 2002, by Braun and Mares from the University of Oklahoma. Only a single specimen exists....
- Abrocoma vaccarum - Mendozan Chinchilla Rat
- Abrocoma bennettii - Bennett's Chinchilla Rat
- CuscomysCuscomysCuscomys is a genus of rodents found in the Andes of Cusco in southern Peru. These relatively large chinchilla rats are dark grey with a distinct white line running from the crown to the nose. The genus was coined in 1999 when C. ashaninka was scientifically described, but later it was discovered...
- Cuscomys ashaninkaCuscomys ashaninkaThe Asháninka Arboreal Chinchilla Rat is a large species of chinchilla rat from the Andes of far northern Cusco in Peru. It was only scientifically described in 1999. The animal has grey fur, with a white nose and lips, and a line of white fur running down its head...
- Asháninka Arboreal Chinchilla Rat - †Cuscomys oblativusCuscomys oblativusCuscomys oblativus known as the Machu Picchu Arboreal Chinchilla Rat, is a large species of South American chinchilla rat, known from remains found in 1912, buried alongside people in ancient Inca tombs at Machu Picchu in Peru...
- Machu Picchu Arboreal Chinchilla Rat
- Cuscomys ashaninka
- †Protabrocoma