286.

Papuan Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat

Paramelomys levipes

French: Mélomys a pattes fines / German: Papua-Tiefland-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de tierras bajas de Papua

Other common names: Long-nosed Mosaic-tailed Rat, Long-nosed Paramelomys, Papuan Lowland Paramelomys

Taxonomy. Uromys levipes Thomas, 1897,

Haveri, 700 m, Sogeri Plateau, Central Province, Papua New Guinea .

Paramelomys levipes was initially described in genus Uromys, and was later attributed to Melomys until revision of that genus in 1996 by J. I. Menzies, who finally placed it into Paramelomys . Menzies provided new diagnosesfor this species. In afirst phylogeny, P. Smissen and K. C. Rowe, in H. J. McLennan and colleagues’ 2017 study of Australasian rodents, found P. levipes as sister taxon of a clade constituted by P. rubex + P. platyops . Monotypic.

Distribution. E New Guinea on S side of Central Cordillera.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 124-162 mm,tail 112-140 mm, ear 16-20 mm, hindfoot 31-34 mm; weight 72-117 g. This medium-sized mouse is similar in all respects, exceptsize, to the Common Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat ( P. platyops) and the Mountain Mosaic-tailed Rat ( P. rubex). It has a brownish-rufous dorsal pelage, browner anteriorly, more rufous on sides and rump, and a dull creamy-white ventral one. Tail, which has only one hair on scales and is bicolored black above and paler below,is slightly smaller than head-body length. Females bear two pairs of mammae.

Habitat. [.owland forest, swamp forest, and hill forest, from sea level to 1200 m.

Food and Feeding. One stomach was full of vegetable matter.

Breeding. The Papuan Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat probably has a low reproductive rate, and its mean litter size is one.

Activity patterns. Papuan Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rats are terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Papuan Lowland Mosaic-tailed Ratis poorly known, but it appears not to be subject to any major threats and it may be able to adapt to secondary environments.

Bibliography. Flannery (1995b), McLennan et al. (2017), Menzies (1996).