Rufous-bellied bolo mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rufous-bellied bolo mouse |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Genus: | Necromys |
| Species: |
N. lactens
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| Binomial name | |
| Necromys lactens (Thomas, 1918)
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The rufous-bellied bolo mouse, also called the white-chinned akodont, is a small rodent. Its scientific name is Necromys lactens. It belongs to the Cricetidae family, which includes many types of mice and hamsters.
You can find this mouse in Argentina and Bolivia. It lives in the dry valleys of the eastern Andes mountains. Experts say it is a "least concern" animal. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
About the Rufous-bellied Bolo Mouse
The rufous-bellied bolo mouse is a small creature. Its body, from head to tail base, is about 98 to 124 millimeters (3.9 to 4.9 inches) long. Its tail adds another 57 to 77 millimeters (2.2 to 3.0 inches) to its length.
Its head and back are a brownish color, with thin black lines. The sides of its body are a richer reddish-brown or cinnamon color. Its belly is also cinnamon, but the shade can change. This mouse has furry ears. You can almost always see a white spot on its chin or throat.
The tail has two colors. It is dark brownish-black on top and whitish or light brown underneath. The mouse has long claws. These claws are hidden by tufts of white hair.
Where It Lives
The rufous-bellied bolo mouse lives on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains. You can find it in central and southern Bolivia. It also lives in northern Argentina.
This mouse prefers a special type of dry grassland called puna grassland. It lives in dry valleys within these areas. In Bolivia, it lives at high altitudes, from about 2,000 to 4,000 meters (6,600 to 13,100 feet) above sea level. In Argentina, it lives a bit lower, from about 1,500 to 3,100 meters (4,900 to 10,200 feet) high.
Its Conservation Status
The rufous-bellied bolo mouse is quite common in places where it likes to live. It can handle some changes to its home. For example, some of the puna grassland where it lives is now used for cattle to graze. The mouse can still survive there.
However, it does not do well in farm fields where crops are grown. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) checks on animals around the world. They have listed this mouse as a "least concern" species. This means they believe its population is not dropping fast enough to be worried about it becoming endangered.
See also
In Spanish: Necromys lactens para niños
 | Selma Burke |
 | Pauline Powell Burns |
 | Frederick J. Brown |
 | Robert Blackburn |
