| The viscacha rat (Octomys mimax; Rodentia, Octodontidae) belongs to a monotypic genus endemic to western Argentina and inhabits lowland deserts with abundant rocks and ravines. Our objectives were 1) to determine the attributes of crevices (depth, height, width, entrance orientation, and rock color) that influence selection by the viscacha rat; 2) to compare the range and variance of temperature inside and outside crevices, at the soil surface, at the rock surface and in the air; and 3) to evaluate if there is a thermal gradient inside crevices, comparing range and variance of temperature at the soil surface at different depths (0, 30 and 50 cm). The viscacha rat did not use microhabitats in proportion to availability; the species selected deep and narrow... |
