Spatial ecology and movement of the red viscacha rat in contrasting habitats of the Monte desert

A. P. TARQUINO-CARBONELL; RICARDO OJEDA ; AGUSTINA A. OJEDA

Virtual meeting

Congreso; 100th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists; 2021

The American Society of Mammalogists ASM

Viscacha rats, genus Tympanoctomys (Rodentia, Octodontidae) are habitat and diet specialists, with low-density patchily distributed populations across the Monte and Patagonia deserts in Argentina. Although we know their geographic ranges, diet, ecophysiology and genetic characteristics for some of its species, data about their spatial ecology and movement are inexistent. This study was aimed to quantify spatial distribution, habitat use and movements (home ranges) of the red viscacha rat T. barrerae. Fieldwork involved use of live traps, telemetry, habitats and burrow characterizations during 2017-2018. A total of 33 adult individuals were tracked. We found burrow densities associated with habitat heterogeneity. Burrow characteristics (e.g. entrances) were associated with cover vegetation. The distribution of burrows was aggregated at large scales (> 1000 m), while random and regularly distributed at small scales (0-100 m). Most activity was concentrated after sunset, and before sunrise, particularly between 11 pm until 5 am. The mean home range size in males was 493.62 m2, but smaller in females. The largest home range sizes were recorded in heterogeneous habitats. The spatial ecology and movements of T. barrerae, coupled with intrinsic attributes of its biology and distribution of genus Tympanoctomys, provide a more comprehensive picture of the natural history of the vizcacha rats while opening new lines of research and landscape ecological considerations in order to define the conservation of desert small mammals.