''Phyllotis'' is a
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 ...
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 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 ...
. These mice are commonly confused with ''
Auliscomys,
Graomys'' and ''
Loxodontomys.''
''.'' In order to tell these
genera
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
apart, one must look at the tail. Species in the genus ''Phyllotis'' have a penicillate tip on their tail which is not present in the other two genera. Tails in the genus Phyllotis are also less than the length of its head and body combined whereas in ''Graomys'', tails are longer than the head and body combined .
''
Phyllotis xanthopygus'' was found at the summit of Volcán
Llullaillaco (6739 m), which is the highest altitude a mammal has yet been found in nature.
It contains the following species:
*
Los Alisos leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis alisosiensis'')
*
Friendly leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis amicus'')
*
Andean leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis andium'')
*
Anita's leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis anitae'')
*
Buenos Aires leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis bonariensis'')
*
Capricorn leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis caprinus'')
*
Darwin's leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis darwini'')
*
Definitive leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis definitus'')
*
Gerbil leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis gerbillus'')
*
Haggard's leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis haggardi'')
*
Lima leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis limatus'')
*
Master leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis magister'')
*
Osgood's leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis osgoodi'')
*
Bunchgrass leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis osilae'')
*
Pearson's leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis pearsoni'')
*
Pehuenche leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis pehuenche'')
*
Punta de Vacas leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis vaccarum'')
*
Wolffsohn's leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis wolffsohni'')
*
Yellow-rumped leaf-eared mouse (''Phyllotis xanthopygus'')
References
{{Authority control
Rodent genera
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot