Nimble-footed oryzomys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nimble-footed oryzomys |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Nephelomys
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| Species: |
levipes
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| Synonyms | |
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Oryzomys levipes Thomas, 1902 |
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The Nephelomys levipes, also known as the nimble-footed oryzomys or light-footed rice rat, is a type of rodent. It belongs to the Nephelomys group in the Cricetidae family, which includes many mice and rats. This small animal lives on the eastern side of the Andes mountains. You can find it in cloud forests from southeastern Peru to west-central Bolivia. It prefers high places, usually between 1,800 and 3,200 meters (about 5,900 to 10,500 feet) above sea level. It lives in the same general area as a similar species, N. keaysi, but N. levipes prefers even higher altitudes.
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What is the Nimble-Footed Oryzomys?
The nimble-footed oryzomys is a small rodent that looks a lot like a mouse or a rat. It is part of a group of animals called Nephelomys, which are often called "cloud forest rice rats." These animals are known for living in the misty, high-altitude forests of South America.
How Was It Discovered and Named?
In 1902, a scientist named Oldfield Thomas first described this species. He called it Oryzomys levipes back then. He found specimens, which are examples of the animal, in both Peru and Bolivia. Thomas thought it was a smaller version of another species he had studied, Oryzomys keaysi (now Nephelomys keaysi).
Later, in 1944, another scientist, Philip Hershkovitz, grouped O. levipes and O. keaysi with a species called Oryzomys albigularis. This meant he thought they were all the same animal. However, in the early 1990s, new studies looked at the animals' DNA and other features. These studies showed that O. levipes was indeed a separate species.
Then, in 2006, scientists decided to create a new group, or genus, called Nephelomys. Many species that were once in Oryzomys were moved into this new group. Nephelomys levipes kept its name and its status as a unique species.
What Does the Nimble-Footed Oryzomys Look Like?
The nimble-footed oryzomys is quite similar to N. keaysi, but it is generally smaller. One way to tell them apart is by their fur. The fur on the belly of N. levipes is usually a light yellowish-brown color, called buffy. In contrast, N. keaysi often has whitish fur on its belly.
Scientists also look at the animal's skull to identify it.
- The part of the skull between its eyes, called the interorbital region, is narrow.
- It has long, narrow openings in the roof of its mouth, called incisive foramina. These openings are located between the front teeth (incisors) and the back teeth (molars).
- The bony part of the roof of its mouth, called the palate, is short. Its back end is often found near the third molars.
- Some individuals have a small bone extension in their skull called an alisphenoid strut. This strut separates two small openings in the skull.
- The mastoid bone, located near the ear, often has some small openings.
How Big Is It?
The very first specimen used to describe the species, called the holotype, had these measurements:
- Head and body length: 130 millimeters (about 5.1 inches)
- Tail length: 160 millimeters (about 6.3 inches)
- Hindfoot length (without claws): 31 millimeters (about 1.2 inches)
- Ear length: 27 millimeters (about 1.1 inches)
- Skull length: 35.7 millimeters (about 1.4 inches)
