Colombian Oldfield Mouse vs Common Tarcrust

Thomasomys dispar compared with Diatrype stigma

Key Differences

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

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Colombian Oldfield Mouse	Common Tarcrust
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Xylariales (Xylariales)
Family	Cricetidae	Diatrypaceae
Genus	Thomasomys	Diatrype
Species	Thomasomys dispar	Diatrype stigma

Conservation Status

Colombian Oldfield Mouse

DD — Data Deficient

Common Tarcrust

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Colombian Oldfield Mouse	Common Tarcrust
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.

Common Tarcrust

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, 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.

Common Tarcrust

<em>Diatrype stigma</em>, the common tarcrust, is a saprotrophic fungus in the family Diatrypaceae, found across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden, as well as more broadly in Europe and temperate regions globally. It grows as a crust-like, charcoal-black stromata on the dead bark and branches of deciduous hardwoods, particularly hazel, beech, and alder. The fruiting bodies are typically flat to slightly raised, dark gray to black patches that contain numerous embedded perithecia in which ascospores are produced. This fungus plays an important ecological role as a decomposer, breaking down dead woody material and recycling nutrients in forest ecosystems. It is Not Evaluated on the IUCN Red List; given its broad distribution on common substrates, it is generally considered widespread. The species reproduces via wind-dispersed ascospores released from the perithecia. Diet, as a saprotrophic organism, consists of dead organic woody matter. Biological traits such as colony growth rates, spore output, and longevity remain poorly documented in standardized quantitative assessments.