Activity, range areas, and nesting patterns in the viscacha rat, Octomys mimax

Ebensperger, Luis A.; Sobrero, Raúl; Campos, Valeria E.; Giannoni, Stella M.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2008.02.003

Cited by 21 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…On the other hand, the relative size of the auditory bullae was demonstrated to have a clear association with environmental variation (in terms of vegetal cover and humidity) among caviomorphs (Hautier et al 2012;Álvarez et al 2013). In particular, caviomorphs with enlarged auditory bullae are adapted to semi-arid/arid environments (Ebensperger et al 2006(Ebensperger et al , 2008Traba et al 2010). Bullar hypertrophy is especially marked in desert-adapted octodontids such as Tympanoctomys and Pipanacoctomys, which are convergent with other desert-specialist rodents such as the North American heteromyid Dipodomys (Ojeda et al, 1999;Mares et al 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

First Approach to the Paleobiology of Extinct Prospaniomys (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea) Through Head Muscle Reconstruction and the Study of Craniomandibular Shape Variation

Álvarez

Arnal

2015

J Mammal Evol

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†Prospaniomys is a basal octodontoid recorded in the early Miocene in Patagonia (Argentina; Colhuehuapian SALMA). Nearly complete cranial and mandibular remains known for this genus provide a unique opportunity to explore its paleobiology. For this, masticatory muscles were reconstructed and craniomandibular shape variation assessed. While such reconstruction indicates that most masticatory muscles would have presented moderate development, both the masseter lateralis and posterior muscles were poorly developed. In contrast, we found that the temporalis muscle was well developed, while conspicuous postorbital constriction, postorbital processes, and superior temporal lines revealed a substantial orbital portion of this muscle. According to geometric morphometric results, craniomandibular shape was interpreted as generalized. Features such as shortened palate, narrower bizygomatic width, orthodont incisors, enlarged incisive foramina, and a shallow jaw could be linked to epigean habits. The moderate development of auditory bullae in Prospaniomys suggests that it is unlikely that it may have lived in extreme arid environments. Additionally, based on its generalized dental morphology, an omnivorous or generalized herbivorous diet that may have included leaves, fruit, and potentially animal matter was inferred. By the early Miocene, Patagonia experienced the initial expansion stage of arid-adapted vegetation, with grasses present in low amounts and abundant forests. Generalized habits and soft and nonabrasive diet suggest that Prospaniomys was possibly associated with more closed environments. Morphology alone cannot be used as an environmental proxy, but it could undoubtedly contribute to the interpretations based on data provided by paleobotanical and geological frameworks in studies on the evolution of environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

First Approach to the Paleobiology of Extinct Prospaniomys (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea) Through Head Muscle Reconstruction and the Study of Craniomandibular Shape Variation

Álvarez

Arnal

2015

J Mammal Evol

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“…We studied habitat selection in one species of Octodontidae (Vizcacha Rat O. mimax; weight: 120.0 AE 2.0 g, Ebensperger et al, 2008) and two species of Cricetidae (silky mouse or Monte gerbil mouse E. moreni (weight: 17.6 AE 3.3 g, Lanzone et al, 2007) and gray leaf-eared mouse G. griseoflavus), although eventually only the first two were captured in sufficient numbers. Several individuals of a marsupial, Thylamys pusillus, were also captured but not enough to include them in the analyses.…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These latter two habitats transpired to be optimal for the species (macrohabitat selection) since it could occupy more terrain than in the strictly sandy areas, which is where it appears in the sandstones of the chical (microhabitat selection). O. mimax apparently prefers more rocky environments, perhaps in order to take advantage of fissures and crevices in the rock before burrowing (Ebensperger et al, 2008;Mares, 1975).…”

Section: Microhabitat Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat selection by two sympatric rodent species in the Monte desert, Argentina. First data for Eligmodontia moreni and Octomys mimax

Traba

Acebes

Campos

et al. 2010

Journal of Arid Environments

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“…The relationship between craniodental features and Diaz and Ojeda 1999;Ebensperger et al 2008;Gallardo and Kirsch 2001;Honeycutt et al 2003;Kö hler et al 2000;R. A. Ojeda, pers.…”

Section: Form and Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%