Bridges' degu

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Bridges' degu
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Octodontidae
Genus: Octodon
Species: O. bridgesi
Binomial name
Octodon bridgesi
Waterhouse, 1845

Bridges' degu (Octodon bridgesi) is a species of rodent in the family Octodontidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile, most typically in southern Chile.[2] The species was named after Thomas Bridges, a Victorian botanist who sent specimens to the British Museum for identification.[3]

Biology and physiology

Unlike its close relative the common degu, Bridges' degu is nocturnal (active at night).[4]

Bridges' degu has deep molar indentaions and has a deep fold on the inside of the last molar.[5]

Habitat

The species is less widely distributed in Chile than the common degu and inhabits rocky, forested areas[5] and some open farmland,[2] although it is far less well adapted for digging[4] but does have some climbing ability.[6] Deforestation may be contributing to the decline of this species.[4]

In Argentina it also inhabits southern beeches forests.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Lessa, E., Ojeda, R. & Bidau, C. (2008). Octodon bridgesi. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Saavedra, B.; Simonetti, J. (2003), "Holocene distribution of Octodontid rodents in central Chile", Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 76: 383–389. 
  3. ↑ Palma, R.E. (2007), "Estado actual de la mastozoologia en Chile", Mastozoologia Neotropical 14: 5–9. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ocampo-Garcés, A.; Mena, W.; Hernández, F.; Cortés, N.; Palacios, A.G. (2006), "Circadian chronotypes among wild-captured west Andean octodontids", Biol Res. 39: 209–220. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Boraker, D. (1975), "Octodon degus", Mammalian Species 67. 
  6. ↑ Gallardo-Santis, A.; Simonetti, J.A.; Vásquez, R.A. (2005), "Influences of tree diameter on climbing ability of small mammals", Journal of Mammalogy: 969–973. 
  7. ↑ Verzi, D.H.; A. Alcover (1990). "Octodon bridgesi Waterhouse, 1844 (Rodentia : Octodontidae) in the Argentinian living mammalian fauna". Mammalia 54: 61–67. doi:10.1515/mamm.1990.54.1.61. 
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