Coxing white-bellied rat
| Coxing white-bellied rat | ||||||||||||
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| Niviventer coninga | ||||||||||||
| ( Swinhoe , 1864) |
The Coxing white-bellied rat ( Niviventer coninga , occasionally Niviventer coxinga ) is a rodent species from the genus of white-bellied rats ( Niviventer ) within the old world mice (Murinae). It is endemic to the island of Taiwan .
features
The Coxing white-bellied rat reaches a head-torso length of 14.0 to 20.5 centimeters with a tail 17.4 to 26.2 centimeters in length and a weight of about 110 to 180 grams. The rear foot length is about 30 to 37 millimeters, the ear length 22 to 29 millimeters. The skull has a total length of 39 to 49 millimeters.
It is a comparatively large species of the genus. The back fur is reddish-brown to yellowish-brown with bristly hair. The peritoneum is creamy white. The tail is slightly shorter than the length of the head and trunk, it is dark brown on top and a bit lighter on the underside. In appearance it partly corresponds to the Taiwanese white-bellied rat ( Niviventer culturatus ), which also lives in Taiwan, but is significantly larger.
distribution
The Coxing white-bellied rat is only endemic to the island of Taiwan .
Way of life
Little information is available about the way of life of the Coxing white-bellied rat. It lives mainly in deciduous forests, on the edges of forests and in bushes, where a dense undergrowth probably plays an important role. It is restricted to lowland regions and mountain regions below 2000 meters, and is particularly common at altitudes around 1300 meters. The litter of the animals consists of two to three young animals.
Systematics
The Coxing white-bellied rat is classified as an independent species within the white-bellied rats ( Niviventer ), which consists of 17 species. The first scientific description comes from the British zoologist Robert Swinhoe , who described the species in 1864 using individuals from Taiwan. Based on molecular biological data, the species was placed in the vicinity of the Indochinese white-bellied rat ( Niviventer tenaster ) and forms a common taxon with this as well as the Taiwan white-bellied rat ( Niviventer culturatus ) and the Chinese white-bellied rat ( Niviventer confucianus ) . Chromosomal and other molecular biological data show that a sister species relationship to the Taiwan white-bellied rat is unlikely and that both species have colonized the island independently of one another.
Status, threat and protection
The Coxing white-bellied rat is classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified with the comparatively large distribution area of more than 20,000 km², the assumed large populations in their distribution area and the slight decline in populations. Potential threats are not known, but habitats used by humans limit the spread of the species.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Spiny Taiwan Niviventer. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 267.
- ↑ a b c d e Niviventer coninga in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2016.2. Listed by: CH Johnston, AT Smith, 2008. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
- ↑ a b Niviventer coninga . In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
literature
- Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Spiny Taiwan Niviventer. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 267.
Web links
- Niviventer coninga inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.2. Listed by: CH Johnston, AT Smith, 2008. Retrieved November 12, 2016.