Kerala field rat

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Kerala field rat
Systematics
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae)
Tribe : Rattini
Rattus group
Genre : Rats ( rattus )
Type : Kerala field rat
Scientific name
Rattus ranjiniae
Agrawal & Ghosal , 1969

The Kerala field rat or Kerala rat ( Rattus ranjiniae ) is a species of mammal belonging to the genus of rats within rodents (Rodentia). It lives exclusively in a few scattered areas in the state of Kerala in southwest India and is classified as an endangered species.

features

The Kerala rat has a head-to-trunk length of 16.2 to 26.1 centimeters and a tail length of 18.7 to 23.2 centimeters. This makes it a medium to large species within rats. It has a long and soft fur with soft fur spines. The fur on the back is gray-brown and the fur on the belly side is white. The hind feet are long and slender with comparatively long claws, the hind foot length is 44 to 47 millimeters. The ears are comparatively short with an ear length of 18 to 21 millimeters and the vibrissae are long. The continuously dark brown tail reaches about the same length as the head-trunk length and is therefore relatively short within the genus.

The skull is compact and reaches a length of 43 to 53 millimeters. It has large tympanic cavities . The incisor windows are narrow compared to other species and the bony palate is short and does not extend beyond the third molars of the upper jaw.

distribution

The species lives endemically in several separate areas in the state of Kerala in southwest India. So far it has only been proven in the districts of Thrissur , Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram .

Way of life

Very little information is available about the way of life of the Kerala rat. It lives mainly in mostly agriculturally used, moist to wet areas at heights of up to a maximum of 1000 meters. It is nocturnal and, like most rats, lives on the ground. There is no information available on nutrition and reproduction.

Systematics

The Kerala rat is regarded as an independent species within the rats (genus Rattus ) and was scientifically described in 1969 by VC Agrawal and DK Ghosal . The position within the rats is unclear and it is suggested that the species could be classified into an independent genus based on specific characteristics.

No subspecies are delimited within the species.

Hazard and protection

The Kerala rat is only scientifically known of a few specimens and is probably only found very scattered in separate areas in Kerala. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as an endangered species due to the fragmented distribution area and the habitat of less than 500 km 2 . However, it is also viewed locally as a food pest and is controlled accordingly with other field pests. The main threat to the population is the drainage, conversion and development of agricultural land into settlement areas as well as the increased use of pesticides and other agrochemicals . In addition, there is increasing competition with the house rat ( Rattus rattus wroughtoni ), which also lives in the distribution area .

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h C. Denys, PJ Taylor, KP Aplin et al .: Ranjini's advice Rattus ranjiniae. In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (Eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Rodents 2. (HMW, Volume 7) Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2017, ISBN 978-84- 16728-04-6 , p. 832.
  2. ↑ a b c V.C. Agrawal: Taxonomic studies on Indian Muridae and Hystricidae (Mammalia: Rodentia). Records of the Zoological Survey of India 180, 2000; Pp. 81-82. ( Full text ).
  3. ↑ a b Rattus ranjiniae. 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 .
  4. ↑ a b Rattus ranjiniae in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2019 Posted by: S. Molur, 2008. Accessed November 9 of 2019.

literature

  • C. Denys, PJ Taylor, KP Aplin et al .: Ranjini's Council Rattus ranjiniae. In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (Eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Rodents 2. (HMW, Volume 7) Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2017, ISBN 978-84- 16728-04-6 , p. 832.

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