Red-Crested Tree-Rat

Red-Crested Tree-Rat

Santa marta toro

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Superfamily
Family
SPECIES
Santamartamys rufodorsalis
Population size
Unknown
Weight
500
18
goz
g oz 
Length
51
20
cminch
cm inch 

The Red-crested tree-rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis) is a species of tree-rat found in South America. It is nocturnal and is believed to feed on plant matter. It is a very rare and poorly known small rodent known only from three specimens.

Appearance

Red-crested tree-rats have a woolly, soft, and long coat. They are mainly rufous. The hair on the dorsal region is of intense red coloring, and a large portion of the tail hair is black (basal), but the last two-fifths of the tail are white. Their ears are small and light brown, and feature tufts of long hair on the inner surface, but lack hair on the outer surface. Between the eye and the ear, there is a tuft of long black hair. The thin whiskers can reach up to 13 cm (5 in) long, and there is a strip of red fur around the neck. The upper surfaces of the front and rear legs are covered in a pale gray coat, and the hind legs are very short and wide. The feet lack small tubercles and the thumb is covered by a nail. Red-crested tree-rats have large eyes, which is consistent with their nocturnal behavior. Young individuals have a grey coat. During the transition to the adult intense red coat, molting begins at the anterior region and moves backward.

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Countries
Biogeographical realms

Red-crested tree-rats are native to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, an isolated mountain range in northern Colombia. This mountainous region has high levels of biodiversity and is considered a unique place in the world.

Red-Crested Tree-Rat habitat map

Biome

Climate zones

Red-Crested Tree-Rat habitat map

Habits and Lifestyle

Little is known about the habits of Red-crested tree-rats. They are nocturnal animals. They can easily climb a vertical wooden surface.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

The diet of Red-crested tree-rats is unknown, but it is assumed that they feed on plant matter such as fruits or seeds.

Mating Habits

Information about the reproductive behavior of this species is scarce.

Population

Population threats

The threats facing these small rodents are unknown but the natural habitat of the species is believed to suffer degradation. Much of its potential area is infested with feral cats (who feed on fauna), and climate change is a long-term threat to the species.

Population number

The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Red-crested tree-rat total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List.

References

1. Red-crested tree-rat Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-crested_tree-rat
2. Red-crested tree-rat on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6664/22210948

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