Southern big-eared mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern big-eared mouse |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Genus: | Loxodontomys |
| Species: |
L. micropus
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| Binomial name | |
| Loxodontomys micropus (Waterhouse, 1837)
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| Synonyms | |
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Auliscomys micropus |
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The southern big-eared mouse (Loxodontomys micropus) is a small rodent that lives in parts of South America. It is also called the southern pericote. This mouse belongs to the family Cricetidae, which includes many types of hamsters and voles.
You can find this mouse in Argentina and Chile. It is one of only two species in its group, called a genus. The very first southern big-eared mouse known to science was found by Charles Darwin in 1834. He found it along the Santa Cruz River while on his famous trip with the ship HMS Beagle. Later, a scientist named George Robert Waterhouse officially described it.
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What Does the Southern Big-Eared Mouse Look Like?
The southern big-eared mouse has a fairly strong body for a mouse. Its fur is thick, making it look even more solid. Adult mice are usually about 23.7 to 24.2 centimeters (about 9.3 to 9.5 inches) long, including their tail. They weigh between 45 and 105 grams (about 1.6 to 3.7 ounces). Sometimes, young mice can start having babies even before they reach their full adult size.
Their fur is a dull grayish-brown color over most of their body. Their belly is a lighter gray or yellowish color. As its name suggests, this mouse has bigger ears than many other mice in its area. However, they are not huge. Its feet are strong, and the fifth toe on its back feet is quite long. The tail is about three-quarters the length of its body and has only a few hairs on it.
You can tell this mouse apart from other nearby mouse species by its strong body, fairly long tail, and the fact that its feet do not have much hair. Female mice have four pairs of teats, which are used for feeding their young.
Where Do Southern Big-Eared Mice Live?
The southern big-eared mouse lives in the Andean mountains of southern Chile and southwestern Argentina. You can find them from about 38°S latitude all the way down to the Straits of Magellan. Some small groups of these mice also live in hilly areas of south-central Argentina. They are also found on Chiloé Island in Chile.
These mice like to live in places with lots of plants and good ground cover. They can be found at high places, up to 3,000 meters (about 9,800 feet) above sea level. They often live in forests with many southern beech trees. These forests usually have thick bushes of South American bamboo underneath. But they can also live in bushy areas with plants like barberries or Colletia. They also live in damp grasslands.
Different Types of Southern Big-Eared Mice
Scientists currently recognize three slightly different types, or subspecies, of the southern big-eared mouse. They look very similar but have small differences in their fur color or foot color.
- Loxodonta micropus micropus
- Loxodonta micropus alsus
- Loxodonta micropus fumipes - This type lives on Chiloé Island.
Southern Big-Eared Mouse Life and Habits
The southern big-eared mouse is a nocturnal animal, meaning it is most active at night. It is a herbivore, which means it eats plants. Sometimes, it might be active during the day too. These mice dig burrows with many entrances. They are also known to store food inside their burrows.
Their main diet includes leaves, seeds, and grasses. They also eat some types of fungi. The number of mice living in an area can change. There might be between 0.9 and 4.1 mice per hectare (about 2.5 acres). More mice are usually found in the autumn.
Predators of the Southern Big-Eared Mouse
Many animals hunt and eat southern big-eared mice. The most common predators are different kinds of owls, such as barn owls, short-eared owls, and lesser horned owls. Other animals that might eat them include lesser grisons (a type of weasel), zorros (South American foxes), and buzzard-eagles.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Southern big-eared mice have their babies during the spring and summer months. A female mouse usually gives birth to four or five young at a time. The young mice grow up quickly and become independent at a young age. Mice born in the spring can often start having their own babies before the breeding season ends in late summer. They might be able to reproduce when they weigh around 48 grams (about 1.7 ounces), which is much less than their full adult size.
 | Sharif Bey |
 | Hale Woodruff |
 | Richmond Barthé |
 | Purvis Young |
