Minute neacomys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minute neacomys |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Neacomys
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| Species: |
minutus
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The Neacomys minutus, also known as the minute neacomys or small bristly mouse, is a tiny rodent species. It belongs to the Neacomys group of mice. You can find this small mouse in South America, especially in Brazil.
Contents
About the Minute Spiny Mouse
The Neacomys minutus is a very small mouse. Its body, from head to tail base, is about 65 to 79 millimeters (2.6 to 3.1 inches) long. Its tail is a bit longer, measuring 68 to 90 millimeters (2.7 to 3.5 inches).
What it Looks Like
The fur on the mouse's back is rough. It's a dark orangish-brown color with tiny black specks. Its belly is much lighter. Mixed in with its fur are short, spiky hairs.
Its tail doesn't have much hair. It's dark on the top and lighter underneath. The mouse has small, round ears. Its back feet are thin and have no fur on the bottom. The three middle claws on its back feet are longer than the outer ones.
Where it Lives and Its Home
This mouse lives in the Amazon basin. This is a huge area around the Amazon River in western Brazil and eastern Peru. You can find it near the middle and lower parts of the Juruá River in Amazonas State, Brazil. It also lives in the nearby Loreto Region in Peru.
Its Habitat
The Neacomys minutus lives in two main types of forests:
- Várzea forest: This is a moist forest that gets flooded during certain seasons.
- Terra firme forest: This forest is drier and sits on higher ground, so it doesn't flood.
Life Cycle and Habits
Neacomys minutus mice can have babies during both the dry and wet seasons. They seem to start having babies when they are quite young. Some mice that are old enough to reproduce still have new teeth and haven't fully grown their adult fur.
Reproduction
On average, a mother mouse will have three babies in a litter. Scientists once found a female mouse that was both pregnant and still feeding her previous babies.
This mouse shares its home with another type of mouse called Neacomys spinosus. However, in the higher parts of the Juruá basin, you'll find Neacomys musseri instead of Neacomys minutus.
Conservation Status
The Neacomys minutus lives across a very large area. Scientists believe its population is stable, meaning its numbers are not decreasing.
This mouse can probably handle some changes to its habitat. It also lives in at least two protected areas. Because of these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed its conservation status as "least concern". This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
