Forest Tuco-tuco

Open encyclopedia reference

The reddish tuco-tuco (Ctenomys frater) is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. Five subspecies have been recognized, some formerly designated as separate species. It is found in Argentina and Bolivia at altitudes from 600 to 4,500 m (1,970 to 14,760 ft). This tuco-tuco is fossorial, like others in its genus. Its diet consists of underground tubers and roots. Its karyotype has 2n = 52 and FN = 78.

It lives in colonies in areas with suitably soft, dry soil. Both undisturbed and disturbed areas provide suitable habitat. Its conservation status is assessed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN.

Wikipedia contributors, Reddish tuco-tuco; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T05:15:49.005007+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Ctenomys frater Thomas, 1902

Name authority

Thomas, 1902

Common name

Forest Tuco-tuco

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Ctenomyidae

Genus

Ctenomys

Extinction status

Recorded extant

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. megaclassTetrapoda
8. classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
9. subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
10. infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
11. orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
12. suborderHystricomorpha Brandt, 1855
13. infraorderHystricognathi Brandt, 1855
14. familyCtenomyidae Lesson, 1842
15. genusCtenomys Blainville, 1826
16. speciesCtenomys frater Thomas, 1902

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Ctenomys. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

Browse 64 records assigned to Ctenomyidae.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=584750 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:32654. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.