NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Chibchan Ichthyomyine
Chibchanomys trichotis (Thomas, 1897)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Chibchan water mouse (Chibchanomys trichotis) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in the Andean highlands of Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are tropical cloud forests and streams at elevations from 2,500 to 2,700 m (8,200 to 8,900 ft). It feeds on snails and possibly small fish. It is the only currently described species in the genus Chibchanomys. It is a dull gray to black rat with a pale gray venter. The rat's tail is slightly longer than its body, measuring 115 to 133 millimetres (4.5 to 5.2 inches) compared to a head-body length of 113 to 125 mm (4.4 to 4.9 in).
Wikipedia contributors, Chibchan water mouse; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:47:47.340769+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Chibchanomys trichotis (Thomas, 1897)
- Name authority
- (Thomas, 1897)
- Common name
- Chibchan Ichthyomyine
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Rodentia
- Family
- Cricetidae
- Genus
- Chibchanomys
- 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.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
- suborderMyomorpha Brandt, 1855
- superfamilyMuroidea Illiger, 1811
- familyCricetidae Fischer, 1817
- subfamilySigmodontinae Wagner, 1843
- genusChibchanomys Voss, 1988
- speciesChibchanomys trichotis (Thomas, 1897)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Chibchanomys. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Las Cajas IchthyomyineChibchanomys orcesi Jenkins & Barnett, 1997 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
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.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=633103 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:5XR3K. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.