Aepeomys

The Andean mice ( Aepeomys ) are a living in South America rodent genus of the group of the New world. They consist of two types.

Andean mice reach a body length of about 11 centimeters, the tail is 8-12 inches long. The coat is at the top olive brown to greyish brown, the underside is lighter. The skull is narrow, elongated snout, and on the first finger of the front paw wear a nail instead of a claw. The eyes are relatively small.

These animals live in the Andes from Venezuela to Ecuador, where they occur at altitudes up to about 3200 meters. They should at least be partially arboreal and build nests in the trees. Otherwise, little is known about their way of life.

There are two types:

• Aepeomys lugens is spread from western Venezuela to Ecuador.
• Aepeomys reigi was first described in 2001 and lives in a small area in western Venezuela.

An earlier another type, A. fuscatus, is now classified in Handleyomys.

The Andean mice are closely related to the Paramo mice ( Thomasomys ) and are classified in the same tribe, Thomasomyini.