Loxodontomys

Loxodontomys is anyone living in southern South America rodent genus of the group of the New world. It includes two species.

These mice like animals reach a body length 11-16 inches, the tail is 8-12 inches long. The weight is 45 to 105 grams. Their fur is gray brown, the underside is lighter.

These animals live in central and southern Chile and Argentina in the south. They inhabit different habitats, such as grasslands and forests. They should be confined to areas with dense ground cover and occur up to 3,000 meters above sea level.

There are nocturnal animals that dig their own burrows. They often climb trees. Their diet consists of flowers, mushrooms and green parts of plants.

Two types are distinguished, Loxodontomys pikumche in the north and Loxodontomys micropus in the south of its range. L. pikumche was first described in 1998.

Traditionally, the genus Loxodontomys as a close relative of the Big-eared mice ( Auliscomys ) is considered, however, other studies place them near the Rabbits Rats ( Reithrodon ).