Colombian Oldfield Mouse vs

Thomasomys dispar compared with Comatricha alta

Key Differences

  • Colombian Oldfield Mouse is Data Deficient while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Colombian Oldfield Mouse
Kingdom Animalia (Animals) Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum Chordata (Chordates) Mycetozoa
Class Mammalia (Mammals) Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)
Order Rodentia (Rodents) Stemonitidales
Family Cricetidae Stemonitidaceae
Genus Thomasomys Comatricha
Species Thomasomys dispar Comatricha alta

Conservation Status

Colombian Oldfield Mouse

DD — Data Deficient

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Colombian Oldfield Mouse
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Colombian Oldfield Mouse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Colombia.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Colombian Oldfield Mouse

<em>Thomasomys dispar</em>, commonly known as the Colombian Oldfield Mouse, is a small rodent species belonging to the genus <em>Thomasomys</em> within the family Cricetidae. This species is classified as Data Deficient, indicating that insufficient information is currently available to evaluate its conservation status with confidence. It has been documented in Colombia, where it inhabits diverse terrestrial and aquatic-adjacent environments. Members of the genus <em>Thomasomys</em> are typically associated with high-altitude Andean habitats, including páramo grasslands, shrublands, and montane forest edges, where they occupy ground-level microhabitats and burrow in soft soils. These mice are generally omnivorous, consuming seeds, plant material, and invertebrates, though specific dietary data for <em>Thomasomys dispar</em> have not been recorded. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The Data Deficient classification highlights the need for targeted surveys in Colombian Andean regions to determine population size, distribution, and the ecological requirements of this poorly known rodent.

<em>Comatricha alta</em> is a myxomycete, or plasmodial slime mold, belonging to the order Stemonitidales within the class Myxomycetes. Like all members of the genus <em>Comatricha</em>, it occupies a unique position in the tree of life, exhibiting characteristics that were historically associated with both fungi and protozoa but are now classified within the supergroup Amoebozoa. The species produces fruiting bodies consisting of delicate, thread-like capillitial networks enclosed within a peridium, and forms spores that are dispersed by air currents. <em>C. alta</em> has been documented from Europe, where it occurs on decaying woody substrates such as rotting logs, fallen bark, and dead plant matter in forested and shaded environments. It thrives in moist, humid conditions that support the feeding plasmodial stage, during which it engulfs bacteria, fungal spores, and organic particles. No quantitative biological traits data are available for this species.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia