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Oryzomys palustris

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Common Marsh Rice Rat
(Oryzomys palustris)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Myomorphi
Superfamily:Muroidea
Family:Cricetidae
Subfamily:Sigmodontinae
Tribe:Oryzomyini
Genus:Oryzomys
Binomial details
Oryzomys palustris (Harlan, 1837)

Description

From Best & Hunt (2020): "The marsh oryzomys is a medium-sized rat. The coarse, moderately long pelage varies from grayish-brown to brown with scattered black and brown hairs on the dorsum. Pelage on the back is usually darker medially from neck to rump. Underparts and feet are white to grayish or tan. Front feet have four toes and hind feet have five toes. The tail is slender, nearly hairless, indistinctly bicolored, and about the same length as head and body combined. Eyes are dark and large, and ears are prominent. Small internal cheek pouches are present."

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External measurements

Length measurements are in millimeters (mm) and weight measurements are in grams (g), unless stated otherwise. If available, the sample size (n=) is provided. If a range is not provided and n= is not given, then the listed measurement represents an average.

Part of range Reference Total length Tail length Hindfoot length Ear length Mass
Alabama Best & Dusi (2014) 232 (200–253) (n=25) 114 (97–127) (n=25) 31 (27–32) (n=25) 15 (13–17) (n=25) 58.2 (56.2–59.0) (n=2)
Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland Webster et al. (1985) 180–290 90–140 29–159
Virginia Linzey (1998) 225–300 100–175 40–85


Skull

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References

Best TL, Dusi JL. 2014. Mammals of Alabama (Vol. 4). Tuscaloosa (AL, USA): University Alabama Press.

Best TL, Hunt JL. 2020. Mammals of the southeastern United States. Tuscaloosa (AL, USA): University Alabama Press.

Hanson JD, Indorf JL, Swier VJ, Bradley RD. 2010. Molecular divergence within the Oryzomys palustris complex: evidence for multiple species. Journal of Mammalogy 91(2):336-347.

Linzey DW. 1998. The mammals of Virginia. McDonald & Woodward Publishing.

Webster WD, Parnell JF, Biggs WC. 1985. Mammals of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Chapel Hill (NC, USA): University of North Carolina Press.

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