Macrotarsomys peter, Goodman & Soarimalala, 2005

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Nesomyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 156-203 : 190

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6600357

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6600237

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03993828-FFF5-0F51-FF28-FCA2CEDDF70C

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Macrotarsomys peter
status

 

20. View Plate 8: Nesomyidae

Petter’s Big-footed Mouse

Macrotarsomys peter

French: Kelibotra de Petter / German: Pette-Madagaskar-Gro 3fuldmaus / Spanish: Raton de pies grandes de Petter

Taxonomy. Macrotarsomys petteri Goodman & Soarimalala, 2005 ,

“ Province de Toliara, Foret des Mikea , 16 km west Vorehy, Foret d’Andaladomo , 22°16.0’S, 43°28.7’E, 80 m,” Madagascar GoogleMaps .

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to SW Madagascar (Andalomo Forest, Mikea Forest). View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 160 mm, tail 238 mm; weight 105 g. All measurements are from one Petter’s Big-footed Mouse. Dorsum is dark grayish brown. Flanks have distinct line separating back, and venter is uniform white. Eyes are proportionately large, and ears are distinctly elongated. Tail is remarkably long and two-tone, dark brown dorsally and a little lighter ventrally; tip is covered with off-white elongated hair tuft. Hindlegs are elongated.

Habitat. Transitional dry deciduousforest-spiny bush. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse is only known from a singlesite at an elevation of 80 m. In the Mikea Forest, it occurs in sympatry with Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse (M. bastard).

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse is nocturnal and presumed to be exclusively terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red Last. Petter’s Bigfooted Mouse is spiny bush—dwelling and is known from a single specimen in Mikea Forest, which has been extensively surveyed for small mammals. Given continued declines in natural forests of this region, specifically the site the holotype was obtained, including conversion of forest to agriculture and frequent fires, its medium-term future is uncertain. On the basis of subfossil remains, Petter’s Big-footed Mouse had a distinctly broader distribution on Madagascar,specifically in the south, until about 1800.

Bibliography. Goodman & Soarimalala (2005), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Goodman, Vasey & Burney (2006), Soarimalala & Goodman (2004, 2011).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Nesomyidae

Genus

Macrotarsomys

Loc

Macrotarsomys peter

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr 2017
2017
Loc

Macrotarsomys petteri

Goodman & Soarimalala 2005
2005
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