Where does Pattonomys semivillosus take refuge in the dry forests of the Colombian Caribbean?

Abstract

We recorded the use of termite mounds as shelters by the Arboreal Spiny Rat (Pattonomys semivillosus) in Colombian Tropical dry forests, an endemic and a poorly studied species with significant gaps minding in its natural history. Data were collected through observations in occasional encounters during mammal surveys and a wildlife removal and relocation projects. Three events were recorded of P. semivillosus using active termite mounds, behaviour did not record previously, which represents a breakthrough in ecological traits of the species. With this note, we highlight the necessity of additional research, to enhance the understanding of the importance of these structures in the survival of this arboreal species in one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet.