Akodon is a
genus consisting of
South Americangrass mice. They mostly occur south of the
Amazon Basin and along the
Andes north to
Venezuela, but are absent from much of the basin itself, the far south of the continent, and the lowlands west of the Andes. Akodon is one of the most species-rich genera of Neotropical rodents. Species of Akodon are known to inhabit a variety of habitats from tropical and tropical moist forests to altiplano and desert. Fossils are known from the late
Pliocene onwards.[2]
Taxonomy
Akodon is the largest genus in the
tribeAkodontini. Three of its
synonyms—Chalcomys, Hypsimys, and particularly Microxus—have sometimes been regarded as distinct genera. Neomicroxus was separated in 2013. Previously associated with Akodon, the genera Abrothrix, Deltamys, Necromys, Thalpomys, and Thaptomys are currently recognized as distinct. Some species of the tribe
Abrotrichini are called akodons.