Scolomys

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

These rodents reach a body length 8-10 centimeters, the tail is 5 to 7 centimeters relatively short, the weight is 20 to 33 grams. The fur is all over the body of flattened spines, which are mixed with long, soft hairs. On the back they are brown and gray in color on the belly, the paws are white.

American spiny mice living in western South America in Ecuador, Peru, and western Brazil. Their habitat are low-lying rainforests. Both species are known only by a few finds, accordingly, unknown is their way of life. The contents of the stomach of an animal consisted of seeds, spiders and insects.

There are two types:

• Scolomys melanops lives in eastern Ecuador and northeastern Peru.
• Scolomys ucayalensis is native to eastern Peru and the westernmost part of Brazil.

Due to the destruction of their already small habitat both species by the IUCN as endangered ( endangered ) are listed.

Although similar to the American spiny mice outside the sting rice rats ( Neacomys ), but this similarity is likely to be due to convergence. Their systematic position within the Sigmodontinae is unclear.