Northern extension of the known distribution of Aconaemys (Hystricomorpha, Octodontidae) in Chile

Abstract

The first records of living populations of Aconaemys for the O'Higgins Region are reported; these records extend the known distribution of the genus to the north by approximately 130 km. With the available evidence it is not possible to determine the species to which these populations belong; therefore, they are referred to as Aconaemys sp. These new records show that the distribution of the genus did not decrease during the Holocene as much as has been earlier suggested. At the same time, these records show the need to continue collecting mammal specimens in Chile as a way of achieving an adequate characterization of the Chilean mammal assemblage.