Tuco-tuco
Encyclopedia
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 degu
s and other octodontids
(Woods and Kilpatrick, 2005). All species of tuco-tuco are found in South America
. The tuco-tucos of South America
have an ecological
role equivalent to that of the pocket gopher
s of North America
.
Tuco-tucos are heavily built with short legs. Their skin is loosely applied, possibly to slide about the tunnels they create. They have long forefeet for burrowing, and bristled hind feet for grooming. They also have large heads, small ears, and hairy tails. Their body ranges in size from 15 centimetre in length, and they can weigh up to 700 g (24.7 oz).
Among their most notable features is that various members of the genus exhibit differing levels of genetic variability and sociality, with a tendency for the most social species (e.g., Ctenomys sociabilis) to have the least genetic variation.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
: Ctenomys, but they include some 60 different species. The relationships among the species are debated by taxonomists. Their closest relatives are 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 and other octodontids
Octodontidae
The Octodontidae are a family of rodents, restricted to south-western South America. Thirteen species of octodontid are recognised, arranged in nine genera. The best known species is the Degu, Octodon degus....
(Woods and Kilpatrick, 2005). All species of tuco-tuco are found in 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...
. The tuco-tucos 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...
have an ecological
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
role equivalent to that of the pocket gopher
Pocket gopher
The pocket gophers are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. These are the "true" gophers, though several ground squirrels of the family Sciuridae are often called gophers as well...
s of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Tuco-tucos are heavily built with short legs. Their skin is loosely applied, possibly to slide about the tunnels they create. They have long forefeet for burrowing, and bristled hind feet for grooming. They also have large heads, small ears, and hairy tails. Their body ranges in size from 15 centimetre in length, and they can weigh up to 700 g (24.7 oz).
Among their most notable features is that various members of the genus exhibit differing levels of genetic variability and sociality, with a tendency for the most social species (e.g., Ctenomys sociabilis) to have the least genetic variation.
Species
- Argentine Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys argentinus)
- Azara's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys azarae)
- Berg's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys bergi)
- Bolivian Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys boliviensis)
- Bonetto's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys bonettoi)
- Brazilian Tuco-tucoBrazilian Tuco-tucoThe Brazilian Tuco-tuco, Ctenomys brasiliensis, is a tuco-tuco species from South America. It is found mainly in Brazil, though Charles Darwin mentions it during his trip through present Uruguay...
(Ctenomys brasiliensis) - Budin's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys budini)
- Catamarca Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys knighti)
- Chacoan Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys dorsalis)
- Colburn's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys colburni)
- Collared Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys torquatus)
- Conover's Tuco-tucoConover's Tuco-tucoConover's Tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay....
(Ctenomys conoveri) - Coyhaique Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys coyhaiquensis)
- D'Orbigny's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys dorbignyi)
- Emily's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys emilianus)
- Famatina Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys famosus)
- Flamarion's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys flamarioni)
- Foch's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys fochi)
- Forest Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sylvanus)
- Furtive Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys occultus)
- Goodfellow's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys goodfellowi)
- Goya Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys perrensi)
- Haig's Tuco-tucoHaig's Tuco-tucoHaig's tuco-tuco , known regionally as the Patagonian tuco-tuco, is a South American hystricognath rodent. Like other tuco-tucos it is subterranean and thus not often observed, although the "tuc-tuc" call of the males can be heard near burrow sites, especially in early morning. Like most species...
(Ctenomys haigi) - Highland Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys opimus)
- Jujuy Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys juris)
- Lago Blanco Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys fodax)
- Lami Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys lami)
- Lewis's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys lewisi)
- Magellanic Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys magellanicus)
- Maule Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys maulinus)
- Mendoza Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys mendocinus)
- Mottled Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys latro)
- Natterer's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys nattereri)
- Pearson's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys pearsoni)
- Peruvian Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys peruanus)
- Pilar Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys pilarensis)
- Porteous' Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys porteousi)
- Pundt's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys pundti)
- Puntilla Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys coludo)
- Reddish Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys frater)
- Reig's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys osvaldoreigi)
- Rio Negro Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys rionegrensis)
- Robust Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys tuconax)
- Roig's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys roigi)
- Salta Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys saltarius)
- San Juan Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys johannis)
- San Luis Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys pontifex)
- Scaglia's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys scagliai)
- Sierra Tontal Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys tulduco)
- Silky Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sericeus)
- Social Tuco-tucoSocial Tuco-tucoThe Social Tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae.It is endemic to Argentina.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland....
(Ctenomys sociabilis) - Southern Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys australis)
- Steinbach's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys steinbachi)
- Strong Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys validus)
- Talas Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys talarum)
- Tawny Tuco-tucoTawny Tuco-tucoThe Tawny Tuco-tuco is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae.It is found in Argentina and Chile....
(Ctenomys fulvus) - Tiny Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys minutus)
- Tucuman Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys tucumanus)
- Vipos Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys viperinus)
- White-Toothed Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys leucodon)
- Yolanda's Tuco-tuco (Ctenomys yolandae)