Ecological Notes on the Fossorial Octodont Rodent Spalacopus cyanus (Molina)

In the coastal region of central Chile the coruro, Spalacopus cyanus, lives in large populations consisting of many small, nomadic colonies. One colony contained 15 members belonging to no less than three generations. A colony of coruros occupies a common burrow system and apparently wanders continuously in search of food. Coruros feed primarily, if not exclusively, on the tubers and underground stems of the lily, Leucoryne ixiodes. S. cyanus has a higher metabolic rate than similar-sized fossorial species of Ctenomys. In February, adult males were sexually active and two of six adult females were pregnant, each bearing three small fetuses.