Long-eared rat hedgehog
| Long-eared rat hedgehog | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Hylomys megalotis | ||||||||||||
| Jenkins & Robinson , 2003 |
The long-eared rat urchin ( Hylomys megalotis ) is a species of the small rat urchin within the hedgehog (Erinaceidae), it is only known from the province of Khammuan in central Laos and was only described in 2003.
features
Compared to the other two species of small rat hedgehog, the long-eared rat hedgehog is medium in size, has a longer skull, longer snout and longer rows of teeth. The large, rounded ears, which give the species its name, are striking ( size : "megas" = large + "otis" = ear = megalotis ). The tail is relatively long and thick. It reaches about 75% of the head-trunk length (51-63% in Hylomys suillus and less than 25% in Hylomys parvus ). The nasal mirror is long. The preanal gland has only a single opening; in the other two types the opening is paired. The fur is gray, long and very fine, the individual hairs gray or reddish brown with black tips. Spines are missing. The teeth are stronger than those of the other two species.
The tooth formula is
habitat
All known specimens of Hylomys megalotis were caught in a rocky, bushy karst region with shrubs, deciduous trees and bamboo stands . Morphological features such as the wide forefeet, the thick claws and the hairless hindfeet indicate that the species is specially adapted to this biotope. Behavior and ecology are so far unknown. Like other rat hedgehogs, the species will feed on insects and worms.
literature
- Paulina D. Jenkins, Mark F. Robinson: Another variation on the gymnure theme: description of a new species of Hylomys (Lipotyphla, Erinaceidae, Galericinae). Bulletin of The Natural History Museum Zoology Series 2002 68: 1-11 DOI: 10.1017 / S0968047002000018
- Charles Francis: A Field Guide to the Mammals of South-East Asia. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-1845377359 , page 177 on GoogleBooks
Web links
- Hylomys megalotis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: Lunde, D., van Strien, NJ & Ruedas, L., 2008. Accessed November 16, 2015.