Wrong swimming rat

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Wrong swimming rat
Systematics
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae)
Tribe : Hydromyini
Xeromys group
Genre : Xeromys
Type : Wrong swimming rat
Scientific name of the  genus
Xeromys
Thomas , 1889
Scientific name of the  species
Xeromys myoides
Thomas , 1889

The false swimming rat ( Xeromys myoides ) - in delimitation of the genus of the (real) swimming rats ( Hydromys ) - is a rodent species from the group of old world mice (Murinae).

features

False swimming rats have a streamlined build, the head is elongated, the ears are small and round, and the eyes are also small. Their fur is dark gray on the upper side, the underside is lighter. The paws are covered with fine white hair. Unlike most other Old World mice, they only have two molars per half jaw. They reach a head body length of 11 to 13 centimeters, the tail is relatively short with around 9 centimeters. Their weight is 40 to 60 grams.

distribution and habitat

These animals live in southern New Guinea and northern Australia , there have been finds on the coast of the Northern Territory and Queensland , but the exact dimensions are not known. Their habitat are swamps and mangrove areas .

Way of life

Fake swimming rats build nests out of leaves and mud in which they spend the day. The nests are at the roots of the mangrove trees, they are reminiscent of termite mounds and are up to 60 centimeters high. Several corridors lead underground from the nest. Up to eight animals live in these nests, one male, several females and the common young animals. At night they go in search of food, they eat crabs, worms and other small animals.

Danger

The main threat to the false swimming rat is the destruction of its habitat and the pollution of water bodies. Its range is highly fragmented and small, the IUCN lists the species as "endangered" ( vulnerable ).

Systematics

The false swimming rat, together with the genera Leptomys and Pseudohydromys, form the Xeromys group within the Old World mice.

According to genetic studies by Lecompte et al. (2008) the animals of the Xeromys group are part of a radiation of the old world mice, the hydromyini, which is mainly found in New Guinea and Australia. This radiation also includes the Chrotomys group , the Hydromys group , the Lorentzimys group , the Pogonomys group , the Pseudomys group and the Uromys group . With the actual rats ( Rattus ), however, they are only distantly related.

literature

  • Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
  • Michael D. Carleton , Guy G. Musser : Order Rodentia. In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. Volume 2. 3rd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 , pp. 745-752.
  • Emilie Lecompte, Ken Aplin, Christiane Denys, François Catzeflis, Marion Chades, Pascale Chevret: Phylogeny and biogeography of African Murinae based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences, with a new tribal classification of the subfamily. In: BMC Evolutionary Biology. Vol. 8, 199, 2008, pp. 1-21, doi : 10.1186 / 1471-2148-8-199 .

Web links

Commons : False Swimming Rat ( Xeromys myoides )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files