Chalchalero viscacha rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chalchalero viscacha rat |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tympanoctomys
|
| Species: |
loschalchalerosorum
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Salinoctomys loschalchalerosorum |
|
The Chalchalero viscacha rat (also called the Chalchalero vizcacha rat) is a small rodent that belongs to the Octodontidae family. It's a special type of rodent found only in a small part of Argentina. This rat was named after a popular Argentine music group, Los Chalchaleros, because the people who discovered it liked their songs!
It used to be thought of as the only species in its own group called Salinoctomys. But scientists later found out through genetic tests that it actually fits within another group called Tympanoctomys. It's very similar to another rat, the T. barrerae.
This unique rat lives in shrublands next to huge salt flats called the Salinas Grandes in northwestern Argentina. It eats special plants that can grow in salty soil, known as halophytes.
What Does It Look Like?
The Chalchalero viscacha rat is a medium-sized rodent. Its fur on its back is a dark brownish-black color. Its belly and underside are white.
The hairs on its back are about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) long. Each hair has a grey base, a brown band, and a black tip. The longer, stiffer guard hairs are a dark brown color.
This viscacha rat's body, from head to tail base, is about 14 to 16 centimeters (5.5 to 6.3 inches) long. Its tail adds another 11 to 12 centimeters (4.3 to 4.7 inches) to its length. The tail is quite long and covered with hair all the way to the end. It even has a black tassel at the tip! The bottom of its feet have six soft pads, and there are hairs around its feet.
Where Does It Live and Is It Safe?
This special rat is found in a very small area in Argentina. The total area where it could live is less than 100 square kilometers (39 square miles). But it actually only occupies about one-tenth of that space.
It lives among plants that love salt, which grow between the wide salt pans and the thick, thorny bushes nearby. The number of these rats is going down. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as "critically endangered". This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
See also
In Spanish: Rata vizcacha chalchalera para niños
