Oligoryzomys is a genus of rodents in the tribe Oryzomyini of family Cricetidae. Many species are known as pygmy rice rats or colilargos. The genus is found from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego and includes approximately 17 species.
In Argentina and Chile, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus and other members of the genus represent the reservoir for the hantavirus strain Andes virus (ANDV) (Wells et al., 1997; Levis et al., 1998; Cantoni et al., 2001).
Taxonomy
The genus Oligoryzomys is included in the subfamily Sigmodontinae of the family Cricetidae. The genus is placed in the Oryzomyini tribe, first proposed by Oldfield Thomas in the early 20th century. It includes genera that have certain dental features of the upper and lower molars and a long palate which extends past the third molars. More recently, molecular analysis and morphological data has placed the genus in Clade C, alongside Neacomys, Microryzomys and Oreoryzomys.
