Galápagos Rice Rat

About the Galápagos Rice Rat

The Galápagos rice rat (Aegialomys galapagoensis), also known as the Galápagos oryzomys, is a species of rodent that is endemic to the Galápagos Islands. The Galapagos rice rat is a medium-sized rodent, with a head-body length of 20 to 35 centimetres (7.9 to 13.8 in), and a tail 14 to 17 centimetres (5.5 to 6.7 in) long. It has very long, soft and dense fur that is grizzled copper-brown above and yellowish-grey on the underparts. The ears are long and covered with dense hair, and the feet have large pads on the soles, with claws up to 2.5 millimetres (0.1 in) in length, suggesting that it has little, if any, climbing ability.

The Galapagos rice rat is found only in the eastern Galapagos. Today, it occurs only on Santa Fé Island, and possibly on Santiago Island. A separate population formerly existed on San Cristóbal Island, and is considered to represent a separate subspecies, but is thought to have been extinct for many decades. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

The Galapagos rice rat is primarily nocturnal, but may sometimes be active before sunset, spending the day resting in... Wikipedia →