667.

Andaman Archipelago Rat

Rattus stoicus

French: Rat des Andaman / German: Andamanen-Ratte / Spanish: Rata de Andaman

Other common names: Andaman Rat

Taxonomy. Mus stoicus G. S. Miller, 1902,

“Henry Lawrence Island, Andaman [Islands],” India.

Rattus stoicus has not been included in any genetic studies, and more research is needed to determine its placement within the genus. Monotypic.

Distribution. Middle Andaman, South Andaman, and Henry Lawrence Is, Andaman Archipelago, India.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 220- 260 mm, tail 192-212 mm, ear 24 mm, hindfoot 45-48 mm. Nospecific data are available for body weight. The Andaman Archipelago Rat is large, with coarse, long, and shaggy pelage, having translucent semi-rigid spines throughout. Dorsum is grayish brown and has longer dark guard hairs. Venter is gray and paler than in the Tawitawi Forest Rat ( R. tawitawiensis).Hindfeet are white but can be very palegrayish brown. Forefeet are white, with thin grayishbrown strip dorsally. Ears dark brown; vibrissae are dark and long. Tail is less than 100% of head-body length and faintly bicolored, being pale brown dorsally and mottled paler brown ventrally. Skull is elongated, with long and slender rostrum. There are four pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one postaxial, and two inguinal.

Habitat. Tropical evergreen forests from sea level to elevations of ¢.200 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Andaman Archipelago Rat is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Andaman Archipelago Rat may be threatened by human expansion, forest clearing, and tsunamis. Nevertheless, it is considered a pest under Schedule V of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Additional research is needed to understand its naturalhistory, taxonomy, and conservation threats.

Bibliography. Agrawal (2000), Corbet & Hill (1992), Ellerman (1961), Johnsingh & Manjrekar (2015), Miller (1902), Molur (2016l), Molur et al. (2005), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Heaney (1985).