Voalavo gymnocaudus, also known as the
northern voalavo,
naked-tailed voalavo, or just
voalavo, is a
rodent in the family
Nesomyidae found in the highlands of northern
Madagascar. Discovered in 1994 and formally described in 1998, it is the
type species of genus
Voalavo; its closest relative is
Voalavo antsahabensis of the
Central Highlands.
DNA sequence data suggests it may be more closely related to
Eliurus grandidieri than to other species of the closely related genus
Eliurus.
V. gymnocaudus is found at above sea level in montane wet and dry forest in the
Marojejy and Anjanaharibe-Sud massifs. Nocturnal and solitary, it lives mainly on the ground, but can climb, and probably eats plant matter. Despite a small range, it is classified as "
Least Concern" because it lacks obvious threats and much of its range is within
protected areas.