Vesper mouse

Calomys laucha

The vesper mice ( Calomys ) are a living in South America rodent genus from the group of New world. They comprise 12 species.

There are very common animals of typical mouse shape. The body length is depending on the type 6 to 12 inches, added 3 to 9 inches cock. The ears are strikingly enlarged, legs slender, provided the tail with only a few hairs.

The habitats in which there are Vespers mice are grass and scrub and forest edges. In the tropical rain forest they are missing. At night they are active and then roam in large numbers through the pampas. Some species also penetrate into barns, stables and cellars. They are omnivorous, taking mainly the plant material, but insects to him.

The number of species is controversial. Wilson & Reeder (2005) lists the following twelve species:

• Calomys boliviae lives in western Bolivia and northern Argentina.
• Calomys callidus is native to Argentina and Paraguay.
• Calomys callosus is found in eastern Bolivia, the central and southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina.
• Calomys expulsus inhabited the central Brazil.
• Calomys hummelincki lives in Colombia, Venezuela and the Netherlands Antilles.
• Calomys laucha is distributed from southern Bolivia and Brazil to Argentina.
• Calomys lepidus comes from Peru prior to northern Chile and northern Argentina.
• Calomys musculinus is distributed from Bolivia to southern Argentina.
• Calomys sorellus inhabited the Peruvian Andes.
• Calomys tener is known from eastern Bolivia, south-east Brazil and northern Argentina. The exact distribution is unclear.
• Calomys tocantinsi inhabited the central Brazil.
• Calomys venustus lives in western Argentina.

None of the species are threatened according to IUCN.