Aconaemys

The South American rock rats ( Aconaemys ) are a living in South America rodent genus of the family of deceit rats ( Octodontidae ). The genus includes three species. In other rodents known as rock rats they are not closely related.

General

South American rock rats are adapted rat-like animals and similar to the closely related Coruro a grave lifestyle. The body is stocky, the tail short. The fur is brown or black, featuring the often bi-colored tail, in which the upper half is colored differently than the lower. These animals can reach a body length from 13.5 to 19 centimeters, the tail is 5-8 inches long. Weight may vary depending on the type between 80 and 150 grams.

These rodents are located in the central regions of western Argentina and Chile, where they occur as over 2000 meters in the mountains both in coastal regions. They inhabit both grasslands and forests.

There are partially underground live animals. They build complex but very little Situated beneath the earth's surface transition systems. The burrows have numerous outputs that are often connected by dirt tracks with feeding grounds. How many illusions rats, the animals are likely to communicate by high squeaks and other sounds. There are pure herbivores.

The types

• Aconaemys fuscus is widespread in the Andean region of western Argentina and Chile between 33 and 41 degrees south latitude. The species is colored entirely brown usually.
• Aconaemys porteri was formerly and sometimes still today regarded as a subspecies of A. fuscus, but differs from it inter alia by the wolligere fur and a different number of chromosomes. This species lives in the Chilean region of Los Lagos and the neighboring Argentine province of Neuquen.
• Aconaemys sagei is significantly smaller than the other two types of more than 110 grams. This species is known only from small areas in the Argentine province of Neuquen, but probably also inhabited regions bordering Chile.