Akodon


Akodon is a genus consisting of South American grass mice. They mostly occur south of the Amazon Basin and along the Andes north to Venezuela, but are absent from much of the basin itself, the far south of the continent, and the lowlands west of the Andes. Akodon is one of the most species-rich genera of Neotropical rodents. Species of Akodon are known to inhabit a variety of habitats from tropical and tropical moist forests to altiplano and desert. Fossils are known from the late Pliocene onwards.

Taxonomy

Akodon is the largest genus in the tribe Akodontini. Three of its synonymsChalcomys, Hypsimys, and particularly Microxus—have sometimes been regarded as distinct genera. Neomicroxus was separated in 2013. Previously associated with Akodon, the genera Abrothrix, Deltamys, Necromys, Thalpomys, and Thaptomys are currently recognized as distinct. Some species of the tribe Abrotrichini are called akodons.
The genus contains the following species:

Literature cited

  • Braun, J.K., Coyner, B.S., Mares, M.A. and Van Den Bussche, R.A. 2008. . Journal of Mammalogy 89:768-777.
  • Braun, J. K., M. A. Mares, B. S. Coyner, and R. A. Van Den Bussche. 2010. . Journal of Mammalogy, 91:387–400.
  • D'Elía, G., Jayat, J.P., Ortiz, P.E., Salazar-Bravo, J. and Pardiñas, U.F.J. 2011. . Zootaxa 2744:62–64.
  • Jayat, J.P., Ortiz, P.E., Salazar-Bravo, J., Pardiñas, U.F.J. and D'Elía, G. 2010. . Zootaxa 2409:1–61.
  • Musser, G.G. and Carleton, M.D. 2005. . Pp. 894–1531 in Wilson, D.E. and Reeder, D.M.. . Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols., 2142 pp.
  • Pardiñas, U.F.J., D'Elía, G., Cirignoli, S. and Suarez, P. 2005. . Journal of Mammalogy 86:462–474.
  • Pardiñas, U.F.J., Teta, P., D'Elía, G. and Diaz, G.B. 2011. . Zootaxa 2749:47–61.