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Plains Viscacha Rat
The Plains Viscacha Rat or Red Vizcacha Rat (Tympanoctomys barrerae) is a species of rodent in the Octodontidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Tympanoctomys. It is endemic to Argentina. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. This species of rodent is unusual because it is tetraploid. Scientists think that this species may have arisn when an ancestor doubled its chromosome number, presumably by errors in mitosis or meiosis within the animal's reproductive organs. Research has found another closely related species which is tetraploid.
Sources
Contreras, L. 1996. Tympanoctomys barrerae. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 30 July 2007. AP Edition Biology 7th Edition Campbell Reece.
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Plains Viscacha Rat
