Oryzomys

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iRice rats
Fossil range: Pleistocene - Recent

O. palustris

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Sigmodontinae
Tribe:	Oryzomyini
Genus:	Oryzomys Baird, 1858

Species

See Text

The genus Oryzomys contains numerous species of muroid rodents commonly referred to as rice rats. These animals are named due to the prevalence of many species in marshy regions and as pests of rice fields.

According to recent phylogenetic analyses, Oryzomys is horribly polyphyletic. Species of the genus are interspersed among the whole tribe Oryzomyini. O. intectus has already been removed to a new genus, Handleyomys, together with Aepeomys fuscatus, but the other species are still retained in Oryzomys. Probably, Oryzomys contains only O. couesi, O. dimidiatus, O. gorgasi, O. nelsoni and O. palustris.

Head and body are 9-20 cm with a tail length of 7.5-25 cm and a weight of 40-80 g. Size varies widely by species.

Diet includes grasses, seeds, fruits, crustaceans and small fish.

[edit] Species

Tomes's Rice Rat - Oryzomys albigularis
Alfaro's Rice Rat - Oryzomys alfaroi
Paraguayan Rice Rat - Oryzomys angouya
Ecuadorian Rice Rat - Oryzomys auriventer
Peruvian Rice Rat - Oryzomys balneator
Long-whiskered Rice Rat - Oryzomys bolivaris
Caracol Rice Rat - Oryzomys caracolus
Chapman's Rice Rat - Oryzomys chapmani
Coues's Rice Rat - Oryzomys couesi
Montane Rice Rat - Oryzomys devius
Nicaraguan Rice Rat - Oryzomys dimidiatus
Emmons's Rice Rat - Oryzomys emmonsae
Galapagos Rice Rat - Oryzomys galapagoensis
Gorgas's Rice Rat - Oryzomys gorgasi
Hammond's Rice Rat - Oryzomys hammondi
Intermediate Rice Rat - Oryzomys intermedius
Keays's Rice Rat - Oryzomys keaysi
Monster Rice Rat - Oryzomys lamia
Light-footed Rice Rat - Oryzomys levipes
MacConnell's Rice Rat - Oryzomys macconnelli
Large-headed Rice Rat - Oryzomys megacephalus
Black-eared Rice Rat - Oryzomys melanotis
Nelson's Rice Rat - †Oryzomys nelsoni
Elegant Rice Rat - Oryzomys nitidus
Sowbug Rice Rat - Oryzomys oniscus
Marsh Rice Rat - Oryzomys palustris
Grey Rice Rat - Oryzomys polius
Rat-headed Rice Rat - Oryzomys ratticeps
Striped Rice Rat - Oryzomys rhabdops
Rusty Rice Rat - Oryzomys rostratus
Big-headed Rice Rat - Oryzomys russatus
Cloud Forest Rice Rat - Oryzomys saturiator
Seuanez's Rice Rat - Oryzomys seuanezi
Terraced Rice Rat - Oryzomys subflavus
Tate's Rice Rat - Oryzomys tatei
Yellowish Rice Rat - Oryzomys xantheolus
Yungas Rice Rat - Oryzomys yunganus

[edit] References

Duff, A. and A. Lawson. 2004. Mammals of the World A Checklist. New Haven, Yale University Press.
Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London.