Brazilian arboreal mouse

About the Brazilian arboreal mouse

The Brazilian arboreal mouse (Rhagomys rufescens) is a South American rodent species of the family Cricetidae. It is found in the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil, often close to bamboo thickets. It can be distinguished from Rhagomys longilingua, the only other species in its genus, by the absence of spines among the hair. Formerly believed to be extinct after no sightings were recorded for over 100 years, the species has since been found in four localities. However, it is nowhere common, and all of these are forest fragments, and ongoing deforestation threatens the species' survival. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "vulnerable".

The Brazilian arboreal mouse is a small mouse with small rounded ears and vibrissae (whiskers) long enough to reach the ears. The dorsal fur is reddish-brown which gradually fades to reddish-grey on the ventral surface. The hair is soft, and this distinguishes Rhagomys rufescens from the only other species in the genus, Rhagomys longilingua, which has spines mixed in with the hairs. They also differ in certain skull characteristics, and their ranges do... Wikipedia →