nearby northern Peru. The species is threatened by fires, used to maintain crop fields in the vicinity, which frequently get out of control and destroy part of the viscacha's habitat on the Cerro, and by competition for food with grazing cattle. However, the species is unknown to the local people and is not hunted. In view of its small range and population, Ledesma and colleagues recommended the species be assessed as critically endangered under the IUCN Red List criteria and recommended immediate conservation action to protect the Cerro El Ahuaca population and further research into its biology. References Literature cited Ledesma, K.J., Werner, F.A., Spotorno, A.E. and Albuja, L.H. 2009. A new species of Mountain Viscacha (Chinchillidae: Lagidium Meyen) from the Ecuadorean Andes (abstract only). Zootaxa 2126:41–57. Werner, F.A., Ledesma, K.J. and Hidalgo B., R. 2006. Mountain vizcacha (Lagidium cf. peruanum) in Ecuador – first record of Chinchillidae from the northern Andes. Mastozoología Neotropical 13(2):271–274. Chinchillidae Endemic fauna of Ecuador Mammals of Ecuador Mammals of the Andes Rodents of South America Critically endangered animals Critically endangered biota of South America Mammals described in 2009