Rhyncholestes
| Long-nosed caenolestid | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Paucituberculata |
| Family: | Caenolestidae |
| Genus: |
Rhyncholestes Osgood, 1924 |
| Species: | R. raphanurus |
| Binomial name | |
|
Rhyncholestes raphanurus Osgood, 1924 |
|
| Subspecies | |
|
R. r. continentalis Bublitz, 1987 |
|
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|
| Range of the long-nosed caenolestid | |
R. r. continentalis Bublitz, 1987
R. r. raphanurus Osgood, 1924
The long-nosed caenolestid (Rhyncholestes raphanurus), also known as the Chilean shrew opossum or long-nosed shrew opossum, is a shrew opossum that occurs in temperate forests of Argentina and southern Chile. It was first described by American zoologist Wilfred Hudson Osgood in 1924. The long-nosed caenolestid resembles Caenolestes species in morphology. It is characterized by a long, pointed snout, small eyes and ears, and one claw on a digit of each of the thin limbs. Little is known of its behavior; it appears to be terrestrial (lives on land), nocturnal (active mainly at night) and omnivorous. It prefers cool, moist areas, and has a small distribution. It is classified as near threatened by the IUCN.
The long-nosed caenolestid is the sole member of its genus, and is classified in the family Caenolestidae. It was first described by American zoologist Wilfred Hudson Osgood in 1924. Two subspecies are recognised:
A 2013 phylogenetic study showed that the Incan caenolestid (Lestoros inca) and the long-nosed caenolestid form a clade sister to Caenolestes. The cladogram below is based on this study.
Gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica)
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