Spiny Rats: Echimyidae

Spiny rats live in a wide variety of habitats, from species that live exclusively in treetops, to forest floor dwellers to those that live underground in complex burrow systems. Many species live near the coast, rivers, or streams. The rato de Taquara lives exclusively in bamboo thickets along stream and river banks. They are found in both old growth and new-growth forests, but are most abundant in forests of intermediate age where there are large numbers of fruit trees, such as palm and fig. Spiny rats are often the most abundant animal in their geographic range.