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Abrocoma boliviensis
Bolivian chinchilla rat


By Christian Smith

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Abrocomidae
Genus: Abrocoma
Species: Abrocoma boliviensis

Geographic Range

Abrocoma boliviensis is restricted to Central Bolivia. (Nowak, 1999)

Biogeographic Regions
neotropical (Native )

Habitat

Bolivian chinchilla rats have been captured near the Comarapa river valley in the province of Manual M. Caballero. The area was rocky, with small shrubs. The elevation was approximatley 2500 m. (Glanz and Anderson, 1990)

Habitat Regions
tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes
mountains

Physical Description

So few A. boliviensis have been captured that it is difficult to get a meaningful species size average. There is one measurement of an individual being 174 mm in head and body length. The species has been recorded as being generally smaller than A. bennetti, which has a body length of 195 to 250 mm and weighs around 225 g for males and 300 g for females. (Glanz and Anderson, 1990; Nowak, 1999)

Other Physical Features
endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Reproduction

Nothing is known about the mating system of this species.

Breeding interval
Breeding intervals are not known in Bolivian chinchilla rats.

Breeding season
The breeding season of Bolivian chinchilla rats is not known.

Nothing is known about reproduction in A. boliviensis. However, in a related species, A. cinera, the gestation period is approximatley 115 days and there are 1 or 2 young per litter. There is recorded variation in Abrocoma, as A. bennetti can have 4 to 6 per litter. (Nowak, 1999)

Key Reproductive Features
iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

There is nothing known about parental investment in this species. Like other mammals, females nourish and care for their young until they are weaned.

Parental Investment
pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female)

Lifespan/Longevity

Information on A. boliviensis is scarce. However, a Bennett's chinchilla rat, A. bennettii, lived for 2 years and 4 months in captivity. (Nowak, 1999)

Behavior

All species in the genus Abrocoma have hairs that protude over the three middle toes of their hind feet. These are used for grooming and digging. The social system of A. boliviensis is not known, however, a related species, A. cinera, lives in small colonies, in one instance having 6 individuals within 18 meters of each other. (Nowak, 1999)

Key Behaviors
terricolous; sedentary ; social

Home Range

Nothing is known about home range size in this species.

Communication and Perception

Nothing is known about communication and perception in this species. Like other rodents, they are likely to use olfaction extensively in communication and perception.

Communication Channels
chemical

Perception Channels
visual ; acoustic

Food Habits

It is not known with certainty what A. boliviensis eats, but it is believed that this species eats many types of plant material. A similiar species, A. bennetti, eats mainly buds, shrubs, and bark. (Glanz and Anderson, 1990; Nowak, 1999)

Primary Diet
herbivore (Folivore , Lignivore)

Plant Foods
leaves; wood, bark, or stems

Predation

While nothing is known about specific predators of A. boliviensis, Lycalopex culpaeus has been found to prey on A. bennetti. (Iriarte, et al., 1989)

Anti-predator Adaptations
cryptic

Ecosystem Roles

There is nothing known about the ecosystem role of this species.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Being very much like chinchilla fur, Abrocoma fur is sold at market for a small profit. (Nowak, 1999)

Positive Impacts
body parts are source of valuable material

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There are no known adverse effects of Bolivian chinchilla rats on humans.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [Link]
Critically Endangered
More Information

US Federal List [Link]
No special status

CITES [Link]
No special status

Bolivian chinchilla rats are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of threatened species. Data on populations and ecological requirements are extremely limited and they are also designated "data deficient."

Other Comments

Very little study has been done on A. boliviensis. While futher study is warranted, it has been suggested that due to their diet of leaves, buds, and bark, these animals will prove difficult to trap using standard trapping techniques. (Glanz, 1990) (Glanz and Anderson, 1990)

For More Information

Find Abrocoma boliviensis information at

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

Christian Smith (author), Michigan State University, Barbara Lundrigan (editor, instructor), Michigan State University.

References

Glanz, W., S. Anderson. 1990. Notes on Bolivian mammals 7. A new species of Abrocoma (Rodentia) and relationships of the Abrocomidae. American Museum Novitates, 2991: 1-32.

Iriarte, J., J. Jimenez, L. Contreras, F. Jaksić. 1989. Small-Mammal Availabilty and Consumption by the Fox, Dusicyon culpaeus, in Central Chilean Scrublands.. Journal of Mammalogy, 70: 641-645.

Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. London: Johns Hopkins Universtiy Press.

To cite this page: Smith, C. 2007. "Abrocoma boliviensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 01, 2012 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Abrocoma_boliviensis.html

Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

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