Talas tuco-tuco explained

The Talas tuco-tuco (Ctenomys talarum) is a species of tuco-tuco endemic to eastern Argentina.

Description

The Talas tuco-tuco is a large rodent ranging in size from 212to, more than twice the size of a house mouse. Its tail length varies from 56to and it weighs approximately 118abbr=onNaNabbr=on.[1] The species shows significant sexual dimorphism.[2] The Talas tuco-tuco basically has a cylindrically-shaped body, but is larger around the head and shoulders. It has short fine hair, which is normally a mix of hazel, gray and red on the back, and white on the underparts. It also has a distinct white patch on either side of the head, along the lower edge of its ears. Its eyes and ears are small compared to its headband it has very long, curved claws on all four feet.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The Talas tuco-tuco is subterranean, living in burrows. Only one inhabits a particular burrow at a time;[4] [5] however, some build extensive burrowing systems connecting individual burrows with tunnels.[1] They prefer areas with loamy soil, grass, perennials plants and woody shrubs. In some cases, they can be found in sandy soils as well.[3] [6] They are usually found along the coasts of the Buenos Aires, La Pampa and Santa Fe provinces.[3] [7]

Biology

Talas tuco-tucos are herbivorous, feeding on roots and grasses. Unlike most subterranean rodents, Talas tuco-tucos leave their burrows to forage for vegetation above ground.[8]

Males can be sexually active throughout the year, but females have a much more restrictive breeding season, so that most pregnancies occur around August.[9] An average litter consists of four offspring, with a slight about 1.63 females being born per male.[4] [9] The lactation period is estimated at about 45 days.[10] In a study, one male was found to have copulated with all the females in the area.[11]

Predators include the burrowing owl, short-eared owl, barn owl, and variable hawk.[5] [12] [13] [14] Lice that feed on the species include Eulinognathus americanus, Gyropus parvus, and Phtheropoios forficulatus.[15] [16] [17] Trichostrongylids can be found in the small intestine, and trichurids in the caecum of the Talas tuco-tuco.[18]

Behavior

The Talas tuco-tuco is solitary, aggressive and territorial.[1] They use scent recognition to distinguish between individuals.[19] Males engage in one on one confrontations with other males for prospective mates, using their sharp incisors as weapons. These can also be used as digging tools, but they prefer to use their claws when building their burrows.[2] Although they are subterranean, they spend much of their time above the ground, foraging for food.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Cutrera . A. P. . Antinuchi . C. D. . Mora . M. S. . Vassallo . A. I. . Home-Range and Activity Patterns of the South American Subterranean Rodent Ctenomys talarum . 10.1644/05-MAMM-A-386R1.1 . Journal of Mammalogy . 87 . 6 . 1183 . 2006 . free .
  2. Becerra . F. . Echeverría . A. . Vassallo . A. I. N. . Casinos . A. . Bite force and jaw biomechanics in the subterranean rodent Talas tuco-tuco (Ctenomys talarum) (Caviomorpha: Octodontidae) . 10.1139/z11-007 . Canadian Journal of Zoology . 89 . 4 . 334 . 2011 .
  3. Justo, E.R.. 2003 . Ctenomys talarum . Mammalian Species . 1–5. 10.1644/730 . 730. etal. free .
  4. Malizia . A. I. . Zenuto . R. R. . Busch . C. . 10.1139/z95-085 . Demographic and reproductive attributes of dispersers in two populations of the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum (tuco-tuco) . Canadian Journal of Zoology . 73 . 4 . 732 . 1995 .
  5. Pearson, O. P.. 1968. Estructura social, distribución espacial y composición por edades de una población de tucotucos (Ctenomys talarum). Investigaciones Zoológicas Chilenas . 13. 47–80.
  6. Comparatore, V.M.. 1992 . Habitat relations in sympatric populations of Ctenomys australis and Ctenomys talarum (Rodentia, Octodontidae) in natural grassland . Mammalian Biology . 57 . 1 . 47–55 . etal.
  7. Redford, K. H. and Eisenberg, J. F. (1992). Mammals of the Neotropics. The southern cone. University Chicago Press, Illinois.
  8. Martino, N., Zenuto, R. R. and Busch, C. (1999). "Respuestas nutricionales a corto plazo en Ctenomys talarum". Libro de resúmenes de las XIV Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología[no volume number]: 70.
  9. Malizia, A.M. . Busch, C. . amp . 1991 . Reproductive parameters and growth in the fossorial rodent Ctenomys talarum (Rodentia) . Mammalia . 55 . 2 . 293–305 . 10.1515/mamm.1991.55.2.293. 84987050 .
  10. Weir . B. J. . 1974 . Reproductive characteristics of hystricomorph rodents . Symposia of the Zoological Society of London . 34 . 265–301 .
  11. Zenuto, R. R., Vasallo, A. I. and Busch, C. (1996). "Comportamieto social y reproductivo de Ctenomys talarum en cautiverio". Libro de resúmenes de las XI Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología [no volume number]:9–10.
  12. Bó, M. S., Rodriguez, S., Bachmann, S., Vargas, R. J. and Darrieu, C. A. (2000). "Importancia de los mamíferos en la dieta invernal del aguilucho común Buteo polyosoma en Mar Chiquita (Provincia de Buenos Aires)". Libro de resúmenes de las XV Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología [no volume number]:38.
  13. De Santis . L. J. M. . Montalvo . C. I. . Justo . E. R. . amp . 1983 . Mamíferos integrantes de la dieta de Tyto alba (Aves, Strigiformes, Tytonidae) en la provincia de La Pampa, Argentina . Historia Natural . 3 . 187–188 .
  14. Vasallo, A.I.. 1994 . Owls predate on two sympatric species of tuco-tucos (Rodentia: Octodontidae) . Journal of Mammalogy . 75 . 3 . 725–732 . 10.2307/1382522 . 1382522. etal.
  15. Castro . D. . Cichino . A. C. . amp . 1990 . Contribución al conocimiento de Eulinognathus americanus Ewing, 1923 y E. torquatus Castro, 1982 (Phthiraptera, Anoplura, Polyplacidae) . Revista Brasileira do Entomologia . 34 . 531–537 .
  16. Contreras, J. R., Castro, D. C. and Cichino, A. C. (1992). "Acerca de las relaciones de los parásitos Phthiraptera (Amblycera, Gyropidae) de los roedores excavadores del género Ctenomys (Rodentia, Ctenomyidae) con la evolución taxonómica de los huéspedes". Libro de resúmenes de las VI Jornadas de Ciencias Naturales del Litoral [no volume number]: 90–92.
  17. Contreras . J. R. . Castro . D. C. . Cichino . A. C. . amp . 1999 . Relaciones de los Phthiraptera (Insecta, Amblycera, Gyropidae) con la evolución taxonómica de los roedores del género Ctenomys (Mammalia: Rodentia, Caviomorpha: Ctenomyidae) . Ciencia Siglo . XXI . 2. 1–32 .
  18. Rossin, M. A., Malizia, A. I. and Sardella, N. (1999). "Estudio de la fauna endoparasitaria de Ctenomys talarum (Rodentia: Octodontidae) de la localidad de Necochea". Libro de resúmenes de las XIV Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología [no volume number]: 79.
  19. Fanjul, M. S., Zenuto, R. R. and Busch, C. (2000). "Discriminación olfativa a nivel de individuo en el roedor subterráneo Ctenomys talarum Rodentia: Octodontidae)". Libro de resúmenes de las XV Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología [no volume number]: 55.

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