Ecology of spiny rats, Proechimys canicollis, in northern Colombia

A population of Proechimys canicollis (spiny rat) in northern Colombia was sampled by monthly live-trapping for 21 months to describe abundance, population dynamics, and sex and age structure. Sampling occurred along four permanent transects within largely old-growth tropical dry forest. A series of microhabitat variables was measured at each sampling station to describe microhabitat association of this species. P. canicollis was the most frequently-captured small mammal, but relative abundance was only 0.23 per 100 station-nights. Abundance fluctuated over the study period and exhibited an annual fluctuation during the first year but not the second. The sex ratio did not differ from 1:1, and most individuals were adults at first capture. Individuals were distributed throughout sampled microhabitat but apparently were more abundant in disturbed areas of forest. The ecology of this species appeared to be similar to that of other members of the genus.