White-spined Atlantic spiny rat

White-spined Atlantic spiny rat
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Echimyidae
Subfamily:	Euryzygomatomyinae
Genus:	Trinomys
Species:	T. albispinus
Binomial name
	Trinomys albispinus; (Geoffroy, 1838)
Subspecies
	See text
Synonyms
	Proechimys albispinus

The white-spined Atlantic spiny rat (Trinomys albispinus) is a spiny rat species endemic to Brazil.[2]

Description

This is one of the smaller spiny rats, with a head-body length of 15 to 21 cm (5.9 to 8.3 in), and a tail 12 to 18 centimetres (4.7 to 7.1 in) long. Adult weight can be anything from 120 to 230 g (4.2 to 8.1 oz). The fur on the upper body and flanks is tawny to buff, interspersed with much paler (although usually not pure white) spines. The underparts, including the lower surface of the tail, are white.[3]

Females are pregnant between January and June, and give birth to litters of up to four young.[3]

Distribution and habitat

T. albispinus is found in a relatively small region of eastern Brazil, in the states of Sergipe and Bahia. Compared with other spiny rats, they are adapted for a relatively dry climate, and the region is dominated semi-arid caatinga forest with a mix of deciduous trees and cactuses, among other plants.[3]

Three subspecies are recognised from different parts of this region:

T. a. albispinus - southern coastal parts of the range
T. a. minor - inland parts of the range
T. a. sertonius - northern coastal parts of the range

References

Catzeflis, F.; Patton, J.; Percequillo, A.; Bonvicino, C. & Weksler, M. (2008). "Trinomys albispinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2009.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)old-form url
Woods, C.A.; Kilpatrick, C.W. (2005). "Infraorder Hystricognathi". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1538–1600. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
Pessôa, L.M. & dos Reis, S.F. (2002). "Proechimys albispinus". Mammalian Species. 693: Number 693: pp. 1–3. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2002)693<0001:PA>2.0.CO;2.

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[iucn-1] Catzeflis, F.; Patton, J.; Percequillo, A.; Bonvicino, C. & Weksler, M. (2008). "Trinomys albispinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2009.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)old-form url

[msw3-2] Woods, C.A.; Kilpatrick, C.W. (2005). "Infraorder Hystricognathi". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1538–1600. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.

[Pessoa2002-3] Pessôa, L.M. & dos Reis, S.F. (2002). "Proechimys albispinus". Mammalian Species. 693: Number 693: pp. 1–3. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2002)693<0001:PA>2.0.CO;2.