Puntilla tuco-tuco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puntilla tuco-tuco |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ctenomys
|
| Species: |
coludo
|
The Puntilla tuco-tuco (Ctenomys coludo) is a type of rodent. It belongs to the Ctenomyidae family. This animal lives only in central Argentina. When an animal lives only in one place, it is called endemic.
The name "Puntilla" comes from a town called La Puntilla. This is the exact place where the first one was found. A British scientist named Oldfield Thomas first described this animal in 1920. An Argentine collector, Emilio Budin, helped find the first specimen for Thomas.
What is a Puntilla Tuco-Tuco?
The Puntilla tuco-tuco is a fairly large type of tuco-tuco. The very first animal found, called the type specimen, was about 205 millimeters (8.1 inches) long from head to body. Its tail was about 97 millimeters (3.8 inches) long.
This tuco-tuco has a light, even color. You can tell it apart from other tuco-tucos in the same area by its long tail. It also has a narrow skull and large auditory bullae. These are hollow bone structures in the skull that protect parts of the ear.
Other tuco-tucos nearby look different. The Catamarca tuco-tuco (Ctenomys knighti) is darker. Foch's tuco-tuco (Ctenomys fochi) is smaller than the Puntilla tuco-tuco.
Where Do Puntilla Tuco-Tucos Live?
This species is only known from the place it was first found. That place is La Puntilla in the Catamarca Province of Argentina. It lives at an elevation of about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above sea level.
Scientists do not know much about this animal. They do not know how many there are or if their numbers are growing or shrinking. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) cannot say if it is endangered or not. They have listed it as "data deficient". This means more research is needed to understand its conservation status.
See also
In Spanish: Tuco-tuco coludo para niños
