Small Sulawesi shrew rat

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Small Sulawesi shrew rat
Systematics
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae)
Tribe : Rattini
Echiothrix group
Genre : Melasmothrix
Type : Small Sulawesi shrew rat
Scientific name of the  genus
Melasmothrix
GS Miller & Hollister , 1921
Scientific name of the  species
Melasmothrix naso
GS Miller & Hollister, 1921

The small Sulawesi shrew rat ( Melasmothrix naso ) is a rodent from the group of old world mice (Murinae).

General

These rodents have a small, shrew-like body with an elongated skull and snout. The eyes are small, the ears round, the tail is short. The front feet are wide, both front and rear feet have long claws. Their short fur is dark brown in color and their feet are black. The animals reach a head body length of 11 to 13 centimeters, a tail length of 8 to 9 centimeters and a weight of 40 to 60 grams.

Small Sulawesi shrew rats are endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi . They inhabit the central parts of the island, their habitat are mountainous rainforests. They are diurnal and often stay on moss-covered floors. Their diet consists mainly of earthworms and insect larvae, which they bring out of the ground with their claws.

No information can currently be given about the degree of endangerment, the IUCN lists the species under “too little data available” ( data deficient ).

Systematics

According to Wilson & Reeder (2005), the small Sulawesi shrew rat is the namesake of the Melasmothrix group, a group of rodents native to Sulawesi, which also includes the genus of the large Sulawesi shrew rats ( Tateomys ). According to Lecompte et al. (2008) the genus is part of the Rattini , i.e. closely related to the rats .

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 .
  • 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 .

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