Sri Lanka mountain rat

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Sri Lanka mountain rat
Systematics
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae)
Tribe : Rattini
Rattus group
Genre : Rats ( rattus )
Type : Sri Lanka mountain rat
Scientific name
Rattus montanus
WWA Phillips , 1932

The Sri Lankan mountain rat or Sri Lankan rat ( Rattus montanus ) is a species of mammal belonging to the genus of rats within rodents (Rodentia). It lives exclusively on the island of Sri Lanka and is classified as an endangered species.

features

The Sri Lankan mountain rat reaches a head-trunk length of about 17 centimeters and a tail length of 20 centimeters. The ear length averages 21.5 millimeters and the hind foot length 33 millimeters. This makes it a medium-sized to large species within the rat, the males are on average slightly larger than the females. It has a long and soft fur with soft fur spines. The back fur is dark gray-brown with a reddish coloration, which increases especially on the sides of the body. In the area of ​​the fur thorns, the hair is darker, it has a dark brown tip and a gray base. The back color changes over the sides into the lighter steel-gray color of the abdomen with a bluish tint. The chin and upper throat are white, and the sides of the face are light gray. The ears are smoke gray, the whiskers are long. The feet are light gray-brown and in the hind feet in the area of ​​the toes and in the front feet on the inside almost white. The continuously dark brown to black tail reaches about 120 to 140% of the head-trunk length and is sparsely hairy.

distribution

The species is endemic in the center of the island of Sri Lanka .

Way of life

Only limited information is available about the lifestyle of the Sri Lankan mountain rat. It lives in the tropical rainforest and wet mountain forests at altitudes between 1320 and 2310 meters. It is crepuscular to diurnal and, like most rats, lives on the ground. Among other things, they feed on the seeds of the Strobilanthes species that are widespread on the island, and the populations probably fluctuate with the availability of food. No information is available on reproduction and development.

Systematics

The Sri Lankan mountain rat is considered a separate species within the rats (genus Rattus ) and was scientifically described in 1932 by William Watt Addison Phillips from Ohiya in West Haputale from an altitude of about 1,800 meters . The position within the rats is unclear and it is suggested that the species could be classified into an independent genus based on specific characteristics.

No subspecies are delimited within the species.

Hazard and protection

The Sri Lankan mountain rat is known only from a few localities and is endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) due to its fragmented distribution area and the habitat of less than 500 km² ) classified. The main threat to the stocks is the loss of habitat associated with the conversion of forest areas into agricultural areas and deforestation.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b c d e C. Denys, PJ Taylor, KP Aplin et al .: Sri Lankan Mountain Rat Rattus montanus. In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (Eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Rodents 2. (HMW, Volume 7) Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2017, ISBN 978-84- 16728-04-6 , p. 833.
  2. ↑ a b c d Rattus montanus. In: 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 .
  3. ↑ a b Rattus montanus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2019. Posted by: WLDPTS de A. Goonatilake, p Molur, 2008. Accessed November 10 of 2019.

literature

  • C. Denys, PJ Taylor, KP Aplin et al .: Sri Lankan Mountain Rat Rattus montanus. In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (Eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Rodents 2. (HMW, Volume 7) Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2017, ISBN 978-84- 16728-04-6 , p. 833.

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