White-footed rabbit rat
| White-footed rabbit rat | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White-footed rabbit rat ( Conilurus albipes ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Conilurus albipes | ||||||||||||
| ( Lichtenstein , 1829) |
The white-footed rabbit rat ( Conilurus albipes ) is an extinct rodent belonging to the genus of the Australian rabbit rats within the long-tailed mouse family .
features
The white-footed rabbit rat attained a head-to-trunk length of 230 to 260 mm, a tail length of 220 to 240 mm, a hind foot length of 45 to 55 mm, an ear length of 25 to 30 mm and a weight of about 200 g. The females had two pairs of nipple teats. The white-footed rabbit rat was tall and sturdy in build. The head was broad and the muzzle was short. The ears were long and narrow. The top was light gray-brown. The underside, including the top of the feet, was white. The furry tail was two-colored; dark brown on top and whitish on the bottom. The tip of the tail ended in a tuft of black hair.
Occurrence and habitat
The white-footed rabbit rat originally inhabited temperate eucalyptus forest from southeastern South Australia through New South Wales and Darling Downs in southeast Queensland to southwest Victoria .
Way of life
Little is known about the way of life. The species was nocturnal and partly lived on trees. During the day she looked for shelter in tree hollows or in the huts of the settlers. The nests were built in the upper branches. There is only one portrait drawing of the reproductive behavior, which was a female who had three young animals with her.
die out
The white-footed rabbit rat was once common. Locally, it invaded human settlements and caused damage in the grocery stores. The last reliable evidence comes from the year 1845. During an intensive search in Victoria from 1860 to 1862 this species was no longer sighted. Probably the destruction of the habitat by grazing cattle and rabbits as well as the pursuit by cats contributed to the extermination of the white-footed rabbit rat.
literature
- Peter Menkhorst: A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Illustrated by Frank Knight. Oxford University Press, South Melbourne et al. 2001, ISBN 0-19-550870-X .