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Broad-headed spiny rat
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Echimyidae
Subfamily:	Euryzygomatomyinae
Genus:	Clyomys
Species:	C. laticeps
Binomial name
	Clyomys laticeps; Thomas, 1909
Synonyms
	Clyomys bishopi Avila-Pires and Wutke, 1981

The broad-headed spiny rat (Clyomys laticeps) is a spiny rat species from South America. The etymology of the species name is the Latin word laticeps meaning "wide-headed".

Description

The species has a head-body length that ranges from 15 to 30 cm (5.9 to 11.8 in), with a tail 5 to 9 cm (2.0 to 3.5 in) long, and weigh between 180 and 334 g (6.3 and 11.8 oz). They have short ears and limbs, and feet with powerful claws adapted for digging. The fur is interspersed with spines; it is grizzled reddish or yellowish and black over most of the body, and paler grey to almost white on the underparts.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

Broad-headed spiny rats are native to southern Brazil and eastern Paraguay, where they inhabit open cerrado habitats at elevations up to 1,100 m (3,600 ft).^[1] Within this region, they are found only in unflooded grasslands and open-canopy savannah woodlands, where the soil is soft and suitable for burrowing.^[3]

Biology and behaviour

These rats live in colonies and spend much of their life underground. The burrows can be large and relatively complex, with tunnels 8 to 9 cm (3.1 to 3.5 in) wide, spiralling down as much as 85 cm (33 in) to one or more nests lined with grass or containing food stocks.^[2] They are herbivorous, and feed mainly on monocots.^[4] Births are probably seasonal, with one or two young being born each year, and weaned by the end of the wet season.^[2]