''Oreoryzomys balneator'', also known as the Peruvian rice rat or Ecuadoran oryzomys, is a species of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

in the tribe

Oryzomyini Oryzomyini is a tribe of rodents in the subfamily Sigmodontinae of the family Cricetidae. It includes about 120 species in about thirty genera,Weksler et al., 2006, table 1 distributed from the eastern United States to the southernmost parts of S ...

of family

Cricetidae The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and New World rats and mice. At over 870 species, it is either the largest or second-largest family ...

. It is found in

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

and northern

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, Montane forest, montane, Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist forest characteri ...

at elevations from 1500 to 1800 m. It is the only species in the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

''Oreoryzomys'', which was included in ''

Oryzomys ''Oryzomys'' is a genus of semiaquatic rodents in the tribe Oryzomyini living in southern North America and far northern South America. It includes eight species, two of which—the marsh rice rat (''O. palustris'') of the United States and ...

'' until 2006. The genus name ''Oreoryzomys'' is a combination of ορος the Greek word for "mountain" with the old genus name ''Oryzomys'' and refers to the mountainous habitat of ''O. balneator''. Recent research suggests that ''O. balneator'' is not closely related to ''Oryzomys'', but instead is probably related to ''

Microryzomys ''Microryzomys'' is a genus of rodent in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae. It is closely related to '' Oreoryzomys'', ''Oligoryzomys'', and ''Neacomys''.Weksler, 2006 It contains two species, both restricted to the Andes: '' M. altissimu ...

'' within a clade also including ''

Neacomys The genus ''Neacomys'', also known as bristly mice because of their spiny fur, includes several species of rodents in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae. It is most closely related to ''Oligoryzomys'', '' Oreoryzomys'', and '' Microryzomys ...

'' and ''

Oligoryzomys ''Oligoryzomys'' is a genus of rodents in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae. Many species are known as pygmy rice rats or colilargos.Musser and Carleton, 2005 The genus is found from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego and includes approximately 1 ...

''. The back is olive brown and the belly fur white or yellow, with a sharp separation. The ears are short. At the base of the claws on the hind feet are tufts of hair. The long tail is sometimes a little darker on the upper side than on the bottom.

References

Mammals of Ecuador Mammals of Peru Oryzomyini Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas Mammals described in 1900 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Sigmodontinae-stub