THE BURROWING BEHAVIOR OF CTENOMYS MENDOCINUS (RODENTIA)

This paper describes the burrowing behavior of C. mendocinus in captiv ity. A terrarium was utilized, where each animal was subject to a 23-m inute trial. The digging sequence showed by the animals was characteri zed by ''scratching-kicking-scratching'' and pushing the removed soil backwards. Incisors were used only occasionally. All animals kept thei r eyes closed while digging. From the data contributed by comparative anatomy it was inferred that Ctenomyidae dig with both their incisors and claws, but by experience, Ctenomys mendocinus is a claw-digger whi ch only occasionally uses its incisors. The frequent exits from the tu nnel and the time that each animal stayed outside the burrow, in addit ion to certain behaviors and anatomical traits, suggest the adaptation of tuco-tucos to both underground and aboveground life.