Rio de Janeiro arboreal rat

The Rio de Janeiro - Rat ( Phaenomys ferrugineus ) is a living in South America rodent species from the group of the New world.

These rodents have a reddish fur on the back, the belly is white, brown paws and toes white. The ears are small and hairy, the coat is dense, the tail is relatively long and hairy. The body length is 15 cm, the tail length of 19 centimeters.

Rio de Janeiro - rats live in southeastern Brazil in the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Their habitat is hilly forests. They should at least be partially arboreal, otherwise little is known about their way of life.

Overall, only 12 animals of this species were found, their habitat is one of the most densely populated regions of South America, which is why they are threatened by habitat loss. The IUCN lists the species as endangered ( endangered ).

Their systematic relationships with other Neuweltmäusen are unclear. Maybe they are related to other Sigmodontinae Southeast of Brazil as the Atlantic forest rats ( Delomys ).