Miscellany on Bibimys (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae), a unique akodontine cricetid

PARDIÑAS, ULYSES FRANCISCO JOSÉ; GALLIARI, C.; VOGLINO, D.

MASTOZOOLOGíA NEOTROPICAL

UNIDAD DE ZOOLOGÍA Y ECOLOGÍA ANIMAL, INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS, CRICYT, CONICET

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2017 vol. 24 p. 241 - 250

0327-9383

We comment on the geographical distribution of the 3 recognized species of Bibimys, focusing in the type species, B. torresi. By briefly reviewing the fossil occurrence of this form we posit that the species suffered a very recent marked retraction. Based on few collected individuals belonging to B. chacoensis and B. torresi, we describe some external traits, such as their unique mammary dotation composed by 2 pairs located more caudally, 1 of them laterally to the genitalia. Combining morphology with direct observation of a wild individual we advance that Bibimys is not a fossorial or semi-fossorial form but a specialized sigmodontine focused on the active search for food employing mostly the nose.