Musseromys

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Musseromys
Systematics
Subordination : Mouse relatives (Myomorpha)
Superfamily : Mice-like (Muroidea)
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae)
Tribe : Phloeomyini
Genre : Musseromys
Scientific name
Musseromys
Heaney et al., 2009

Musseromys is agenus of small old world mice that is endemic to the Philippines' Luzon island . All four species of the genus live in mountainous regions in the central and northern parts of the island. These are the Banahaw , the Amuyao and the Pulag in the Filipino Cordillera and the northern Sierra Madre . The genus is closely related to the Luzon tree rats ( Carpomys ) and thus belongs to a clade of usually larger tree rats (tribe: Phloeomyini) endemic to the Philippines.

features

Musseromys species are small and only reach a head-torso length of 7.4 to 8.4 cm with a weight of 15 to 22 g. The tail is 8.2 to 10 cm long and thus reaches 100 to 130% of the head-trunk length. The tail is slightly hairy over its entire length, but the hair is significantly longer on the last third (10 to 25 mm). The scales on the tail are small. There are 17 to 23 scales on one centimeter of tail length. The back fur is light orange to dark rust-brown, the shorter peritoneum is light ocher and in some specimens with a center line formed by whitish spots. The head is broad and large in relation to the body. The muzzle is short and blunt, the skull just as long as it is wide. The eyes are medium-sized, the ears large (15 to 17 mm) and round or narrow and slightly pointed. The vibrissae on the snout are 42 to 53 mm long and thus reach about 60 to 65% of the head-trunk length. There are more vibrissae on a bare patch of skin behind the eyes. They are 5 to 15 mm long. All molars have a thick layer of enamel and noticeable cusps. The front feet are narrow and of medium length, the toes with the exception of the big toe, which has a nail, have sharp claws. The pads are medium to large in size. The hind feet can be medium to long and narrow with narrow pads or shorter with broad pads. Females have two nipples.

species

There are four types:

habitat

All Musseromys species occur in mountain forests at altitudes from 1650 to about 2700 meters. The trees and shrubs mainly include oaks , laurel and myrtle plants , as well as figs , tea plants , stone slices , elaeocarpaces and the pine species Pinus kesiya . The ground, tree trunks and thick branches are heavily mossed .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Heaney, LR; Balete, DS; Rickart, EA; Veluz, MJ; Jansa, SA (2009). Chapter 7. A New Genus and Species of Small 'Tree-Mouse' (Rodentia, Muridae) Related to the Philippine Giant Cloud Rats. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 331: 205-229. doi: 10.1206 / 582-7.1
  2. ↑ Heaney et al. (2014), page 9 and 10
  3. ↑ Heaney et al. (2014), page 8.
  4. ↑ Heaney et al. (2014), pages 17, 20, 21.