Timor Rat

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Timor Rat
Systematics
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae)
Tribe : Rattini
Rattus group
Genre : Rats ( rattus )
Type : Timor Rat
Scientific name
Rattus timorensis
Kitchener , Aplin & Boeadi , 1991

The Timor rat or Timor Forest rat ( Rattus timorensis ) is a mammalian species in the genus of the rats within the rodents (Rodentia). She lives exclusively on the island of Timor and has only been scientifically documented from there by one individual.

features

Rattus timorensis is a small rat. The holotype had a head-torso length of 15.7 centimeters and a tail length of 7.7 centimeters, but this specimen was missing the end. The fur is olive brown, with the individual hairs being dark brown to sandy olive brown.

distribution

Rattus timorensis is only known in one specimen that was caught in 1990 near Gunung Mutis in the Indonesian west of the island of Timor , at an altitude of 1900  m . Based on fossil finds, it is assumed that the species was originally more widespread and was found down to 500  m altitude .

Way of life

No information is available on the way of life of Rattus timorensis . The area in which the type was found is in the mountains in the rainforest and is less characterized by the eucalyptus mixed forests typical of the island . The area is considered intact and was not yet destroyed by slash and burn .

Systematics

Rattus timorensis was scientifically described by DJ Kitchener, Aplin & Boeadi in 1991 and is classified as an independent species within the rats (genus Rattus ) due to specific characteristics of the type . It is assumed that some of the fossils collected by Glover in East Timor in 1986 can also be assigned to this species.

The specific allocation within the rats has not yet been clarified, although the association with the genus Rattus has not been fully clarified either. Because of immunological studies of the albumin is a close relationship with the bunomys ( Bunomys ), especially Bunomys chrysocomus and for Komodo rat ( Komodomys rintjanus accepted).

Hazard and protection

The species is not classified in a hazard category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) due to insufficient data on distribution and population, but rather as "data deficient". Information on the population size is not available; apart from the type specimen, no further individuals were found despite an intensive search, which means that the species is very rare.

The main threat is the rapid loss of habitat in the original rainforests of the island due to slash and burn and conversion into agricultural pastures, especially for horse breeding. The fires often spread uncontrollably, especially in the dry eucalyptus forests up to high altitudes.

literature

  • DJ Kitchener, KP Aplin, Boeadi: A new species of Rattus from Gunung Mutis, South West Timor Island, Indonesia. In: Records of the Western Australian Museum. Vol. 15, No. 2, 1992, ISSN  0312-3162 , pp. 445-461, full text (PDF; 4.0 MB) .

Web links

supporting documents

  1. ^ DJ Kitchener, KP Aplin, Boeadi: A new species of Rattus from Gunung Mutis, South West Timor Island, Indonesia. In: Records of the Western Australian Museum. Vol. 15, No. 2, 1992, ISSN  0312-3162 , pp. 445-461, full text (PDF; 4.0 MB) .
  2. ↑ a b c d e Rattus timorensis in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012.2. Posted by: K. Aplin, K. Helgen, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  3. ↑ a b c Rattus timorensis. 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 .