Elegant oryzomys facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elegant oryzomys
E. nitidus (top) and Calomys laucha (bottom)
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Genus:	Euryoryzomys
Species:	E. nitidus
Binomial name
Euryoryzomys nitidus (Thomas, 1884)
Distribution of several Euryoryzomys species     Elegant Rice Rat (Euryoryzomys nitidus)
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Synonyms
Oryzomys nitidus Thomas, 1884 [Euryoryzomys] nitidus: Weksler, Percequillo, and Voss, 2006

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The Elegant Rice Rat, also known as Euryoryzomys nitidus, is a type of rodent. It belongs to the family Cricetidae, which includes many kinds of mice and rats. This small mammal lives in parts of South America. You can find it in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. It prefers warm, wet tropical rainforests. It also lives in forests on the eastern side of the Andes mountains. These rats can live from lowlands up to about 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) high.

Meet the Elegant Rice Rat

Elegant Rice Rat

The Elegant Rice Rat is a medium-sized rodent. Its body, from head to tail base, is about 13.6 centimeters (5.4 inches) long. Its tail is usually about the same length as its body. The fur on its head and back is short and thick. It can be a yellowish-brown or brownish color. The sides of its head and body often have an orange-yellow tint.

Its belly and underside are a whitish-grey color. The tail is mostly one solid color. However, the underside near the tip might look a bit spotted. Both its front and back feet have white hair on top. Small tufts of hair grow between its nails, helping to hide them.

Where Elegant Rice Rats Live

The main group of Elegant Rice Rats lives in the Andean foothills. This area includes Peru, Bolivia, and western Brazil. They also live in the lowlands nearby. Some individual rats have been found in other places. These include south-central Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina.

In the upper Amazon basin, this species lives alongside a similar rat. This relative is called Euryoryzomys macconnelli. Elegant Rice Rats can live in many different places. They are found in tropical and subtropical rainforests. They also do well in forests that have grown back after being cut down. This means they can handle some changes to their home.

They have been seen in dry forests and swamp forests. You might also find them near rivers or in grassy areas with palm trees. They can even live close to villages, farms, and sports fields. These rats mostly stay on the ground.

Health Studies and the Elegant Rice Rat

Scientists often study small animals like the Elegant Rice Rat. This helps them understand how diseases spread. One study in Peru looked at many small rodents. The Elegant Rice Rat was one of the most common animals caught.

Scientists found that some of these rodents carried a type of hantavirus. This virus can sometimes make people sick. It's important for researchers to learn about these viruses. This helps protect human health.

Conservation Status

The Elegant Rice Rat is a common animal. It lives in a very large area. Many of these areas are protected. Scientists have not found any major threats to this species.

Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluated its status. They consider it a "least concern" species. This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.