White-eared giant rats
| White-eared giant rats | ||||||||||||
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| Thomas , 1904 |
The white-eared giant rats ( Hyomys ) are a genus of rodents from the group of old world mice (Murinae). The genus includes two types.
White-eared giant rats are stocky animals, they reach a head body length of 30 to 39 centimeters, the tail measures 26 to 38 centimeters and the weight is 0.75 to 0.95 kilograms. The coarse fur is dark gray on the top and light gray on the underside. The small ears are whitish, the long tail is covered with scales. The paws have large claws.
These rodents are native to New Guinea , their habitat are forested mountainous lands at 1200 to 3000 meters above sea level. You can climb, but you spend a lot of time on the ground. They retreat to rest in leaf nests, which they create in the tree roots or in hollow tree trunks. Their diet consists of bamboo and other plant material.
There are two kinds:
- The western white-eared giant rat ( Hyomys dammermani ) is native to western and central New Guinea.
- The goliath rat ( Hyomys goliath ) lives in eastern New Guinea.
According to the IUCN, H. goliath is not endangered; no data are available for H. dammermani .
The genus is systematically part of the Pogonomys group , a radiation of Old World mice that is predominantly found in New Guinea.
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 .
- 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 .