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Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Subordo: Cynodontia
Infraordo: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohors: Eutheria
Infraclassis: Placentalia
Cladus: Boreoeutheria
Superordo: Euarchontoglires
Ordo: Rodentia
Subordo: Myomorpha
Superfamilia: Muroidea
Familia: Cricetidae
Subfamilia: Sigmodontinae
Tribus: Akodontini
Genus: Deltamys
Species: Deltamys kempi
Name
Deltamys kempi Thomas, 1917
Synonyms
Akodon kempi (Thomas, 1917)
Kemp's grass mouse (Deltamys kempi) is a species of South American rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is the only species in the genus Deltamys.[2] It was formerly considered a member of the genus Akodon, but is now considered sufficiently distinct to warrant its own genus.[3] It is named for Robin Kemp, who collected specimens of mice from the area for the British Museum.[4]
Description
Kemp's grass mouse is noticeably larger than a house mouse, measuring about 18 cm (7.1 in) in total length, including the 8 cm (3.1 in) tail. The eyes and ears are small, and the limbs relatively short. The fur is dense and soft, and is a very dark brown, almost black, over most of the body, fading to brownish-grey on the underparts. The tail has only fine hairs, and is visibly scaled along its length.[4]
Distribution and habitat
Kemp's grass mouse is found around the mouth of the Río de la Plata in the Buenos Aires and Entre Ríos provinces of Argentina, throughout southern and eastern Uruguay, and near the coast of Rio Grande do Sul in extreme southern Brazil.[1] Within this region, it is found in treeless wetlands such as marshlands and grassy floodplains, and less commonly on the margins of forested areas.[4]
Two subspecies are recognised:
Deltamys kempi kempi - Argentina
Deltamys kempi langguthi - Uruguay and Brazil
Biology and behaviour
Despite living in wetlands, Kemp's grass mouse is not an especially strong swimmer, and has feet more adapted for digging. They have been reported to nest above the ground, for example in fallen tree trunks, or under grasses or leaves. They are omnivorous, but with a higher proportion of animal matter, especially insects, in their diet than is the case for most other rodents. Common predators include the barn owl.[4]
References
Teta, P.; D'elia, G.; Christoff, A.; Gonzalez, E. (2016). "Deltamys kempi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T738A22338967. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T738A22338967.en. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). "Deltamys kempi". Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
Smith, M.F.; Patton, J.L. (1999). "Phylogenetic relationships and the radiation of sigmodontine rodents in South America: evidence from cytochrome b". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 6 (2): 89–128. doi:10.1023/A:1020668004578. S2CID 22355532.
González, E.M.; Pardiñas, U.F.J. (2002). "Deltamys kempi". Mammalian Species. 711: Number 711: pp. 1–4. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2002)711<0001:DK>2.0.CO;2. S2CID 198968620.
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