The mountain degu ( Octodontomys gliroides), also known as the Andean degu,
Phylogeny
The
phylogeny and placement of
O. gliroides in relation to other octodontids was originally unclear.
A study of mitochondrial DNA across the species' range published in 2016 solidified
Octodontomys as a
monophyletic group, albeit one with two distinct lineages, one of which is distributed across Bolivia and northern Chile, the other restricted to Argentina.
The following cladogram is adapted from Rivera et al., 2014:
Description
The mountain degu is a moderate sized rodent with a length of , including a tail of , and a bodyweight in the range . The hairs are long and silky. The upper surface is greyish-brown, the chin is pure white, and the underparts are white with a grey base to the hairs. There is a tuft of white hair in front of the large ears, which are clad in short grey hair. The slender tail is bi-coloured (dark above and pale below) and has a tuft of brown or ochre hairs at the tip. Juveniles have darker fur above and greyer underparts. Their tails are brownish with a dark brown or black tufted tip.
Distribution and habitat
This species is found in the mountainous areas of southwestern Bolivia, northwestern Argentina and northern Chile. It has a wide altitudinal range, occurring at in
Jujuy Province in Argentina, and at in Potosà Department in Bolivia. The only species of octodontid found in the higher parts of its range, it inhabits dry rocky areas with tall cacti, shrubs and herbs.
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Behaviour
The mountain degu is a nocturnal, Herbivore rodent, being most active just after sunset. It does not have any special adaptations of skull or limbs for tunnelling, but digs short burrows and lives under rocks and in caves. Its tail can be Autotomy, and it can be used as a prop when climbing. It is a sociable animal and communicates by means of a range of low, medium and high-pitched gurgles, twitters and squeaks,
The mountain degu feeds on the leaves and bark of shrubs, and on Acacia sheaths in the winter and on cactus fruits in the summer. It can obtain sufficient moisture from its food, particularly cactus, to satisfy its water requirements.
Mountain degu young in various stages of development have been found in November, and pregnant females and young in both January and May. A gestation period of 100-109 days has been reported with a litter size of one to three pups. The pups are precocial when born, already having their eyes open and being well-furred.
Relationship with humans
The mountain degu is known to host Parasitism that are infectious to humans, such as the Chagas disease-causing Trypanosoma cruzi. It is also parasitized by bloodsucking Flea in genus Ectinorus and lice in the genera Ferrisella. Otherwise, it has little to no societal impact, similar to other degus.
Conservation status
O. gliroides is listed as being of "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of its wide distribution, its presumed large population, its occurrence in some protected areas and apparent tolerance of some degree of habitat modification.
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