Pipanacoctomys aureus



Golden Vizcacha Rat
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Hystricomorpha
Superfamily: Octodontoidea
Family: Octodontidae
Tribe: Octodontini
Genus: Pipanacoctomys
Mares, Braun, Barquez, and Díaz, 2000
Species: P. aureus
Binomial name
Pipanacoctomys aureus
Mares, Braun, Barquez, and Díaz, 2000

The Golden Vizcacha Rat (Pipanacoctomys aureus) is the single species of the genus Pipanacoctomys of the rodent family Octodontidae. This animal has 2N = 92 chromosomes and is therefore tetraploid[2]. This species and its sister-species Tympanoctomys barrerae (2N = 102) appear to have arisen from the diploid Mountain Vizcacha Rat, Octomys mimax[2] (2N = 56) as a result of doubling and then loss of some chromosomes.

The species is known from Catamarca Province of northwestern Argentina, where specimens are known only from the Salar de Pipanaco, a salt flat. It feeds on halophyte plants.[3] The genus is named after the locale, with “octo” being a reference to the figure-eight ridge on its cheek tooth.

References

  1. ^ Lessa, E., Ojeda, R. & Bidau, C. (2008). Pipanacoctomys aureus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 January 2009.
  2. ^ a b Gallardo, M. H. et al. (2004). Whole-genome duplications in South American desert rodents (Octodontidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 82, 443-451.
  3. ^ Mares, Michael A. (1 November 2003), "Desert dreams: seeking the secret mammals of the salt pans - Naturalist at Large", Natural History, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1134/is_9_112/ai_110737005/ 
  • Mares, Braun, Barquez, and Díaz. 2000. Two new genera and species of halophytic desert mammals from isolated salt flats in Argentina. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University 203:i+1-27.
  • Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (Eds.). 2005. Mammal Species of the World, Third Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 2 Volumes, 2141 pp.


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