Pearson's Tuco-tuco

Open encyclopedia reference

Pearson's tuco-tuco (Ctenomys pearsoni) is a species of rodent in the family Ctenomyidae. It is endemic to Uruguay, where it is found at elevations below 200 m. This tuco-tuco constructs burrows with multiple openings (an average of 13) containing one to two nests of dried grass; it prefers areas of sandy soil but is somewhat adaptable. It is threatened by loss of habitat to development, agriculture and ranching. Multiple karyotypes have been reported, including 2n = 68–70, FN = 80–88, as well as 2n = 56, FN = 77–79, suggesting the taxon may represent several species. C. dorbignyi appears to be cytogenetically indistinguishable from the 2n = 70 form. The species is named after American zoologist Oliver Payne Pearson.

Wikipedia contributors, Pearson's tuco-tuco; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:36:06.552709+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Ctenomys pearsoni Lessa & Langguth, 1983

Name authority

Lessa & Langguth, 1983

Common name

Pearson's 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 pearsoni Lessa & Langguth, 1983

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=584764 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:3265P. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.