Nelsonia (rodent)

The small bush rats ( Nelsonia ) are a living in Central America rodent genus of the group of the New world. It includes two types.

Small bush rats reach a body length 12-13 inches, which must be added a 11 to 13 centimeters long tail comes. Their soft fur is gray brown on the back, the flanks are bright red and the abdomen and feet whitish. The long tail is hairy.

These rodents are endemic to Mexico, where they live in the middle of the country. Their habitat is coniferous forests, where they occur up to 3,000 meters above sea level. They are mostly active at night, during the day they retreat into crevices and other hiding places. Their diet should consist mainly of tree needles.

Both species are considered not common, but are listed by the IUCN as not at risk.

There are two types:

• Nelsonia goldmani is distributed from Colima and Jalisco to the State of México.
• Nelsonia neotomodon inhabited the Sierra Madre Occidental from Durango to Aguascalientes.

The small bush rats are systematically as primitive representatives of Neotomini, a generic group, which includes, but is still the American bush rat ( Neotoma ).