Tylomys nudicaudus

759.

Peters’s Climbing Rat

Tylomys nudicaudus

French: Tylomys a queue nue / German: Nacktschwanz-Kletterratte / Spanish: Rata trepadora de Peters

Taxonomy. Hesperomys (T ylomys) nudicaudus Peters, 1866, “ Guatemala.”

Four subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

T.n.nudicaudusPeters,1866—SMexico(Chiapas),Guatemala,Belize,Honduras,ElSalvador,andNicaragua.

T:n.gymnurusVilla,1941—EPuebla,Veracruz,andEOaxaca,Mexico.

T.n.microdonGoodwin,1955—knownonlyfromtwolocalitiesinOaxaca,Mexico.

T. n. villa: Schaldach, 1966 — E Guerrero and W Oaxaca, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 188-266 mm, tail 195-262 mm; weight 280-326 g. Peters’s Climbing Ratis large, with soft adult pelage varying from tan to reddish gray. Tail is almost as long as body, naked, scaly, and bicolored; first two-thirds are dark and remaining one-third is white. Ears are round and large. Toenails are covered with protruding white hairs. There are four inguinal teats. Skull is elongated, with flattened cranial vault, greatly developed supraorbital crest, broad and wide foramen anterior palatine, and low occipital region. Skull shape is different from the sympatric Tumbala Climbing Rat (7. tumbalensis). Peters’s Climbing Rat has chromosomal variation: its karyotype is 2n = 42 in the nominate subspecies; 2n = 36, 37 in subspecies villai, and 2n = 40 in subspecies gymnurus. X-chromosome is long and metacentric.

Habitat. Deciduous and evergreen tropical forests, mountain forest, secondary vegetation, caves and rocky areas from sea level to elevations of ¢.1600 m.

Food and Feeding. Peters’s Climbing Rat is believed to eat leaves, fruits, and seeds. In Veracruz, stomach contents of one specimen contained plant parts similar to lichens; it was caught in traps baited with banana, fruit, or a mixture of oats and vanilla. In captivity, diet consists of commercial rodent food and seeds, occasionally supplemented with lettuce and apple.

Breeding. Peters’s Climbing Rats have 2 litters/year (March—May and November—December). In captivity, gestation averages 40 days. Litters are usually small (two young on average). They reach sexual maturity at 10-20 weeks old. Peters’s Climbing Rat have been separated into five age classes based on somatic metrics.

Activity patterns. Peters’s Climbing Rat is semi-arboreal and nocturnal to crepuscular, with greatest activity at midnight.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Peters’s Climbing Ratis solitary and takes refuge in hollow trees, rocks, and caves. It has been captured on tree branches and the ground. In captivity, vocalizations are described as cat-like and squeals as piglike. Although its movements are usually slow and deliberate, it can travel with great speed and agility on vines and branches.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Peters’s Climbing Rat has stable populations and wide distribution; it is tolerant of habitat modification and occurs in protected areas.

Bibliography. Alvarez-Castafeda et al. (2015), Espinoza (2002, 2014a), Espinoza & Martinez (2010), Espinoza et al. (2006), Goodwin (1955b, 1969), Musser & Carleton (2005), Nowak (1999), Pathak et al. (1973), Ramirez-Pulido, Gonzalez-Ruiz et al. (2014), Reid (2009), Vazquez (2016).