ryzomys dimidiatus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search Oryzomys dimidiatus Conservation status Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1) Scientific classificationedit Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae Subfamily: Sigmodontinae Genus: Oryzomys Species: O. dimidiatus Binomial name Oryzomys dimidiatus (Thomas, 1905) Map of Central America, marked yellow in southeastern Nicaragua and red elsewhere Range of Oryzomys dimidiatus (yellow) and the related O. couesi (red and yellow) in Central America. Synonyms Nectomys dimidiatus Thomas, 1905 dimidiatus: Hershkovitz, 1948 Oryzomys dimidiatus, also known as the Nicaraguan oryzomys, Thomas's rice rat, or the Nicaraguan rice rat, is a rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is known from only three specimens, all collected in southeastern Nicaragua since 1904. Placed in Nectomys upon its discovery, it was later classified in its own s ubgenus of Oryzomys and finally recognized as closely related to other species now placed in Oryzomys, including the marsh rice rat and Oryzomys couesi, which occurs in the same region. With a head and body length of 110 to 128 mm (4.3 to 5.0 in), Oryzomys dimidiatus is a medium-sized rice rat. The upperparts are gray-brown and the underparts are grayish, not buffy as in O. couesi. The tail is only slightly darker above than below. All three specimens were caught near water and the species may be semiaquatic, spending some time in the water. Its conservation status is currently assessed as "Data Deficient". Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution, ecology, and beha