New distributional record of Chelemys megalonyx (Rodentia: Cricetidae) from the central valley of Chile, and some implications for its distribution and conservation

Abstract

We report a new locality for the rodent Chelemys megalonyx in Rinconada de Maipu (Santiago, metropolitan region, central Chile), located in the central valley of Chile, in the eastern slope of the Chilean coastal range. Although the collected specimens show morphological similarities with other members of Chelemys, some cranial and body measurements confirmed our identification. Despite extensive field effort in the central coast of Chile, C. megalonyx has been barely recorded. In light of previous evidence and our findings, we suggest that the C. megalonyx distribution range has been previously underestimated, limiting our understanding about its current conservation status. The presence of C. megalonyx in the central valley of Chile opens additional questions to be resolved regarding its distribution and ability for dispersal.