Hoplomys
| Armored rat | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Echimyidae |
| Genus: |
Hoplomys J. A. Allen, 1908 |
| Species: | H. gymnurus |
| Binomial name | |
|
Hoplomys gymnurus (Thomas, 1897) |
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The armored rat (Hoplomys gymnurus) is a species of rodent in the family Echimyidae. It is monotypic within the genus Hoplomys. It is found in Latin America, from northern Honduras to northwest Ecuador. They have a range of spines on their back and sides, although they are born with soft fur – the spines begin growing after the first month.
Part of the infraorder Hystricognathi, they are more closely related to porcupines than the common brown rat. Adults weigh between 218–790 grams (0.481–1.742 lb) with males weighing more on average than females, and have thick spines on the back and sides of the body, which measure up to 33 millimetres (1.3 in) and 2 millimetres (0.079 in) in diameter. The head and body measures between 220–320 millimetres (8.7–12.6 in) in length, with the tail adding another 150–255 millimetres (5.9–10.0 in). The color of the armored rat range from black to reddish brown, and has a pure white underside. They are similar in appearance to Tome's spiny-rat, but the eyes of the armored rat are smaller and they have a longer snout. Its diet includes fruit, insects and green plant matter. The normal litter size is one to three, and the fur on the offspring is soft with the spines only developing after the first month.
The armored rat is nocturnal species, which occupies burrows. These burrows are usually positioned in steep banks close to a water source, and can measure up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) in length before reaching a nesting chamber. They are distributed from northern Honduras to northwest Ecuador, from lowlands up to around 800 metres (2,600 ft) in altitude.
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