The Marsh Rice Rat is a semi-aquatic sigmodontine rodent of coastal and inland marshes across the southeastern United States. It builds grass platform nests above the waterline and swims readily to escape predators or forage on aquatic vegetation. The marsh rice rat is the primary rodent reservoir for Bayou virus, a hantavirus found in the Gulf Coast states.
Habitat
Coastal salt and freshwater marshes, wet meadows, and swamps
Diet
Marsh grasses, seeds, insects, and crustaceans
How common
Common
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