Atlantic Bamboo Rat

The Atlantic bamboo rat can reach a head-and-body length of 25 cm (10 in) with a tail of 32 cm (12.6 in). Its weight is about 475 g (1 lb 1 oz). The pelage is the typical agouti brown-to-grey colour of many rodents, grading to chestnut on the flanks. The chin and underparts are white tinged with reddish brown. The first 6 cm (2.4 in) of the tail are well-haired but the rest is sparsely haired. There is a distinct tuft of hairs at the tip. When fully grown, this bamboo rat with its long tail is unlikely to be mistaken for any other species.

This species is native to South America, where its range includes southeastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. The typical habitat is moist forests near water with dense understorey of bamboos. It is particularly associated with the giant bamboo Guadua angustifolia, which forms thickets.

The Atlantic bamboo rat is nocturnal and is highly arboreal, scrambling around in trees and bamboos, especially near water. The home range is about 1,000 m2 (1,200 yd2). When alarmed it issues loud squeals. It probably feeds on grasses, leaves, shoots, fruits and tubers.

The genus name Kannabateomys derives from three Ancient Greek words: κάννα (kánna), meaning "reed, cane", βατέω (batéō), meaning "I mount, cover", and μῦς (mûs), meaning "mouse, rat". The species name amblyonyx derives from the two Ancient Greek words ἀμβλύς (amblús), meaning "blunt, not sharp", and ὄνυξ (ónux), meaning "claw, fingernail".