811.

Spiny Long-footed Rat

Tarsomys echinatus

French: Rat du Matutum / German: Stachel-Fersenratte / Spanish: Rata de pies largos espinosa

Other common names: Mindanao Spiny Rat, Spiny Tarsomys

Taxonomy. Tarsomys echinatus Musser & Heaney, 1992,

Balisong, 823-1128 m, Tupi, Mount Matutum, South Cotabato Province, southern Mindanao Island, Philippines.

Phylogenetic relationships of 7. echinatus, 1. apoensis, and other members of the Philippine New Endemics need to be assessed with molecular studies. Monotypic.

Distribution. [Lowlands around Mt Kitanglad and Mt Matutum, Mindanao I, Philippines.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 145-179 mm, tail 120-158 mm, ear 17-21 mm, hindfoot 29-34 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Spiny Long-footed Rat is similar to the Dusky Long-footed Rat (7. apoensis) but has longer head-body length, tail, and hindfeet; ears are smaller, and claws are longer and more robust. In contrast to the Dusky Long-footed Rat, fur is short and spiny; upperparts are brownish gray, speckled with buff. Venter is grayish white in some individuals, and in others, underparts are broken by wide white strip extending from chest to inguinal region. Contrast between dorsum and venter is always evident. Ears and tail are pale brown. Forefeet and hindfeet are unpigmented and covered with white hair. Females have six mammae.

Habitat. Apparently restricted to lowland forests or transitional lowland-montane forests below elevations of ¢.1300 m. The Spiny Long-footed Rat is replaced at higher elevations by the Dusky-Long-footed Rat on Mount Kitanglad.

Food and Feeding. The Spiny Long-footed Rat probably feeds mostly on invertebrates. Shorttail, long and slender hindfeet, and strong, curvy claws suggest a feeding strategy of digging and scratching in soil and leaflitter.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Pale underparts of the Spiny Long-footed Rat suggest nocturnal activity.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Population decline of the Spiny Long-footed Rat is estimated to have been more than 30% over the last three generations, inferred from habitat destruction and degradation, which are ongoing. Additional research is needed to determine if it is more widespread in lowland forests on Mindanao and assess is conservation status.

Bibliography. Boitani et al. (2006), Heaney & Balete (2008a), Heaney, Balete et al. (1998), Heaney, Dolar et al. (2010), Musser (1994), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Heaney (1992).