754.

Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Spiny Rat

Maxomys musschenbroekii

French: Maxomys de Musschenbroek / German: Musschenbroek-Rajah-Ratte / Spanish: Rata espinosa de Célebes de Musschenbroek

Other common names: Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Maxomys, Musschenbroek’s Spiny Rat

Taxonomy. Mus musschenbroekii Jentink, 1879,

“Celebes [= Sulawesi, Indonesia], Menado.”

Maxomys musschenbroekii almost certainly represents multiple species, with three clades recognized within it and a newly described closely related species, M. tompotika, from Gunung Tompotika that is not included here because a full description is not yet available. Maxomys musschenbroekii is not closely related to other Sulawesi Maxomys butis sister to a clade containing M. whiteheadi, M. hylomyoides, M. tajuddinii, and an undescribed species from the Sunda regions; it is probably most iadrelated to M. wattsi . Taxonomy requires further investigation.

Distribution. Sulawesi.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 115-163 mm, tail 112-152 mm, ear 16-23 mm, hindfoot 30-38 mm; weight 95-240 g. Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Spiny Rat is smaller and more similar to Sundaic species of Maxomys than other Sulawesi species. Pelage is short, soft, and dense, with soft white spines having dark brown tips. Dorsum is chestnut, darker along back and rump and lighter on sides; cheeks are white. Individual hairs are grayish with chestnut tips. Venter is grayish white and not sharply demarcated from dorsum. Feet are long and narrow. Ears are dark gray, rounded at ends, nearly naked, and elongated; vibrissae are long and black with white tips. Tail is 88-91% of head-body length, sparsely furred, indistinctly bicolored, blackish brown above, and white below. Skull has pronounced postorbital and temporal ridging and wider rostrum than on Watts’s Sulawesi Spiny Rat ( M. wattsi). Various species of nematodes (e.g. Heligmonoides musseri), ticks (e.g. Amblyoma and Haemaphysalis), chiggers (e.g. Leptotrombidium deliense), mites (e.g. Laelaps and Histiostoma), and fleas (e.g. Nestivalius sulawesiensis, Sigmactenus sulawesiensis, and Neopsylla musseri) have been recorded from Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Spiny Rat. There are four pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one post-axillary, one abdominal, and oneinguinal. Chromosomal complementis 2n = 36, FN = 59 (males) and 60 (females).

Habitat. Tropical lowland evergreen and montane rain forests from sea level to summits and secondary and disturbed habitats.

Food and Feeding. Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Spiny Rat eats fruits and insects.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Spiny Rat is nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Spiny Rat has a wide distribution and occurs in Lore Lindu National Park, Morowali Nature Reserve, and likely others. It might be threatened by habitat destruction from logging and agricultural expansion. Additional research is needed to fully understand its natural history, taxonomy, and threats.

Bibliography. Achmadi (2017), Achmadi et al. (2013), Cassola (2016ai), Durden (1986), Durden & Beaucournu (2006), Hasegawa & Syafruddin (1994b), Musser (1969c, 1991, 2014), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Holden (1991), Musser et al. (1979), Rickart & Musser (1993), Steppan & Schenk (2017).