267.

Yamdena Island Mosaic-tailed Rat

Melomys cooperae

French: Mélomys de Cooper / German: Yamdena-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de Yamdena

Other common names: Yamdena Island Melomys

Taxonomy. Melomys cooperae Kitchener, 1995,

c¢. 20 km north of Saumlaki, 1 km south of Kebun Lorulun, Yamdena Island, Tanimbar Island Group, Moluccas, Indonesia.

According to G. G.Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005, M. cooperae could belong to the so-called “ Melomys rufescens division” together with M. paveli . In their 2017 morphometric analyses of Melomys skulls, P. H. Fabre and colleagues found M. cooperae

different from the rufescens group but close to M. aerosus and M. paveli . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality on Yamdena I, Indonesia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 112-140 mm, tail 140-170, ear 16-20 mm, hindfeet 24-8-28-1 mm; weight 60-96-5 g. The Yamdena Island Mosaic-tailed Rat is a mediumsized Melomys . Upperparts are cinnamon brown, with black tips to the hairs, and forehead, cheeks, and belly are white. There are blackish rings around the eyes. Ventral parts, medial to the limbs, and back of the legs are white. Ears are short and cinnamon in color. Tail is longer than head-body length and is lavender-gray on top and pale gray below. This species is distinguished from other members of genus by last upper molar being large with an antero-external cusp, and a combination of very long tail, long incisive foramen, and distinctive white cheeks.

Habitat. Lowland tropical forest with tall trees (up to 30 m) of Ficus (Moraceae), Erythrina and Albizia (both Fabaceae), Podocarpus (Podocarpaceae), as well as “kenari” ( Canarium vulgare, Burseraceae), and Lantana (Verbenaceae) understory with numerous vines and creepers, close to small stream and freshwater mangrove with Barringtonia (Lecythidaceae) and Imperata cylindrica (Poaceae) grassland, up to 200 m above sea level.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Three adult females collected in April were bearing two embryos each, and males had large testes.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Yamdena Island Mosaic-tailed Rat is known only from the type series, and there is no information on the size ofits population,its distribution, orits ecology.

Bibliography. Fabre, Fitriana et al. (2017), Kitchener & Maryanto (1995), Musser & Carleton (2005).