New Britain swimming rat
| New Britain swimming rat | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Hydromys neobritannicus | ||||||||||||
| Tate & Archbold , 1935 |
The New Britain swimming rat ( Hydromys neobritannicus ) is a rare rodent in the subfamily of Old World mice that occurs on the island of New Britain . Only three copies were known by 2016. The population was temporarily listed as a subspecies of the golden-bellied swimming rat ( Hydromys chrysogaster ). Studies from 1951 and 1991, the reference work Mammal Species of the World from 2005 and the IUCN recognize them as a species.
features
In one examined specimen, the head-torso length of 288 mm and the tail length of 289 mm were almost identical. The length of the hind feet was 60 mm and the weight was not determined. As with other members of the genus, there are small webbed feet between the toes of the broad feet . The thick and soft fur on the upper side is dark brown to black in color with a distinct sheen. On the underside, the fur is a little lighter with the lightest areas on the chin, on the throat and in the back of the abdomen. No clear color differences can be seen on the head. It is characterized by small eyes and thick vibrissae that reach to the shoulders when bent back. The medium-sized ears are covered with fine hair on light brown skin.
Short black hairs appear on the top of the hands and feet. The little thumb has a nail , while all the other fingers and toes have powerful claws . The color drawing of the tail is striking. A short light brown to white ring follows the front black half. It is followed by another dark section, while the tip of the tail, as in the gold-belly swimming rat, is white. Females have two teats in the groin area.
The taxonomic position of another specimen of the genus Swim Rats from New Britain with a reddish belly and a missing ring in the middle part of the tail has not yet been clarified.
Distribution and way of life
The species lives in the lowlands and hill country on New Britain up to a height of 500 meters above sea level. It is also native to Umboi Island, according to unconfirmed reports . The New Britain swimming rat lives in watercourses and in wetlands. The original vegetation of New Britain are evergreen rainforests .
Nothing is known about the way of life of the species.
threat
The stock is likely to be impaired by deforestation when plantations with oil palms or smaller agricultural areas are established. According to estimates, the forest size in the lowlands is decreasing so much that in the year 2060 there will be no forest in areas below 200 meters. Other possible threats are water pollution from mining and introduced predators. Due to the unknown size of the population, the New Britain swimming rat is listed by the IUCN with insufficient data (data deficient) .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Hydromys neobritannicus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: Amori, G., 2016. Accessed August 15, 2020th
- ↑ Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Ed.): Mammal Species of the World . A taxonomic and geographic Reference . 3. Edition. 2 volumes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 (English, Hydromys neobritannicus ).
- ↑ a b c d e Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 7 - Rodents II . Lynx Edicions, 2017, ISBN 978-84-16728-04-6 , pp. 686 (English).