Scapteromys Temporal range:
Late Pliocene to
Recent
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Sigmodontinae |
Tribe: | Akodontini |
Genus: |
Scapteromys Waterhouse, 1837 |
Type species | |
Mus tumidus Waterhouse, 1837
| |
Species | |
Scapteromys aquaticus |
Scapteromys is a genus of South American rodents in the tribe Akodontini of family Cricetidae. Three species are known, found in northern Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. [1] [2] They are as follows:
Species are semiaquatic, living in and near marshes and other bodies of water. They reach a body length of 15 to 20 cm and a tail length of 13–17 cm, and weigh 110-200 g. Fur color is dark gray on top and light gray on the underside. They are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. Their diet consists mainly of insects; they also consume other invertebrates and plant material.
The three species differ in karyotype, with aquaticus having 2n = 32, tumidus 2n = 24 [1] and meridionalis 2n = 34/36. [2]
Scapteromys Temporal range:
Late Pliocene to
Recent
| |
---|---|
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Sigmodontinae |
Tribe: | Akodontini |
Genus: |
Scapteromys Waterhouse, 1837 |
Type species | |
Mus tumidus Waterhouse, 1837
| |
Species | |
Scapteromys aquaticus |
Scapteromys is a genus of South American rodents in the tribe Akodontini of family Cricetidae. Three species are known, found in northern Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. [1] [2] They are as follows:
Species are semiaquatic, living in and near marshes and other bodies of water. They reach a body length of 15 to 20 cm and a tail length of 13–17 cm, and weigh 110-200 g. Fur color is dark gray on top and light gray on the underside. They are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. Their diet consists mainly of insects; they also consume other invertebrates and plant material.
The three species differ in karyotype, with aquaticus having 2n = 32, tumidus 2n = 24 [1] and meridionalis 2n = 34/36. [2]