Nasal rats
| Nasal rats | ||||||||||||
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Rhynchomys soricoides (below) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Rhynchomys | ||||||||||||
| Thomas , 1895 |
The nasal rats ( Rhynchomys ) are a genus of rodents from the group of old world mice (Murinae). The genus includes six species.
Nose rats are rather large, shrew-like animals. The length of the head body is, as far as is known, 18 to 22 centimeters, the tail measures 11 to 15 centimeters. The dense, short fur is dark gray on the top and whitish-light gray on the belly. The tail is hairy, the muzzle is elongated, and the eyes are very small. The rearmost molar has receded, the remaining molars are very small.
These rodents are endemic to the Philippine island of Luzon and their habitat is forests in mountainous regions. They are nocturnal and feed primarily on earthworms and insects. Otherwise, little is known about their way of life.
There are four types:
- Rhynchomys banahao is only known from the region around Mounts-Banahaw-San-Cristobal National Park on Luzon .
- Rhynchomys isarogensis lives in the area around Mount Isarog in southeastern Luzon.
- Rhynchomys labo
- Rhynchomys mingan
- Rhynchomys soricoides lives in the north of the island of Luzon.
- Rhynchomys tapulao is only known from the region around Mount Tapulao on Luzon.
The nasal rats are threatened by the destruction of their habitat. The IUCN lists R. isarogensis as "endangered" ( vulnerable ) and R. soricoides as "low risk" ( near threatened ), for the other two types are available to too little data.
The genus Rhynchomys is systematically considered to be part of the Chrotomys group , a radiation of old world mice that only lives in the Philippines.
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 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Eric A. Rickart, Danilo S. Balete, Robert M. Timm, Phillip A. Alviola, Jacob A. Esselstyn and Lawrence R. Heaney. 2019. Two New Species of Shrew-rats ( Rhynchomys : Muridae: Rodentia) from Luzon Island, Philippines. Journal of Mammalogy. gyz066. DOI: 10.1093 / jmammal / gyz066
Web links
- Rhynchomys on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved October 8, 2009.