Haig's Tuco-tuco
Encyclopedia
Haig's tuco-tuco known regionally as the Patagonian tuco-tuco, is a South America
n hystricognath rodent
. Like other tuco-tuco
s it is subterranean and thus not often observed, although the "tuc-tuc" call of the males can be heard near burrow
sites, especially in early morning. Like most species
in the genus
Ctenomys, C. haigi are solitary, with one adult per burrow.
Haig's tuco-tuco is native to Argentine
Patagonia
. Its primary habitat is the Patagonian steppe, but it is also found in Low Monte and Valdivian temperate rain forests
ecoregions.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n hystricognath rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
. Like other tuco-tuco
Tuco-tuco
The tuco-tucos are members of a group of rodents that belong to the family Ctenomyidae. The tuco-tucos belong to a single genus: Ctenomys, but they include some 60 different species. The relationships among the species are debated by taxonomists. Their closest relatives are degus and other...
s it is subterranean and thus not often observed, although the "tuc-tuc" call of the males can be heard near burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
sites, especially in early morning. Like most species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Ctenomys, C. haigi are solitary, with one adult per burrow.
Haig's tuco-tuco is native to Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
. Its primary habitat is the Patagonian steppe, but it is also found in Low Monte and Valdivian temperate rain forests
Valdivian temperate rain forests
The Valdivian temperate rain forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed-forest ecoregion located on the west coast of southern South America, lying mostly in Chile and extending into a small part of Argentina. It is part of the Neotropic ecozone. The forests are named after the city of Valdivia...
ecoregions.