This rodent occurs in dry areas from central-western Peru to northern Chile. It has a pale grayish-buff back, large ears, and a long tail with pale areas.
Its fine, soft fur is pale grayish-buff on the back. The ears are large and pale brown; the tail is bicolored and can be white toward the tip or entirely white.
Records include coastal desert, rocky areas, fog-moistened lomas, and places with cacti or herbs. It is terrestrial and mainly nocturnal. Recorded elevations range from near sea level to about 4,000 m.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.