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Grassland Mosaic-tailed Rat

Melomys burtoni

French: Mélomys de Burton / German: Grasland-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de pradera

Other common names: Grassland Melomys

Taxonomy. Mus burtoni Ramsay, 1887,

near Derby, Western Australia, Australia .

Taxonomy not clear. Melomys burtoni and M. lutillus have often been considered conspecific, and J. I. Menzies in 1996 did not recognize two species in New Guinea, whereas G. G. Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005 kept M. burtoni and M. lutillus as two distinct species. Molecular investigation by L. M. Bryant and coworkers in 2011 allowed recovery of a

M. burtoni + lutillus clade, but this study highlighted the existence of many lineages and paraphyly of both species. P. H. Fabre and team in 2017 described new specimens of M. burton: from Halmahera (North Moluccas, Indonesia) and performed a review of the Melomys genus with molecular and geometric morphometric tools. They found a molecular clade comprising M. lutillus, M. burtoni, and M. paveli representatives, and showed the existence of many cryptic lineages. M. burtoni was morphologically grouped with the other Australo-Papuan and Moluccan Melomys . Monotypic.

Distribution. Trans-Fly region of S New Guinea and coastal areas of N & E Australia, including many offshore islands.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 122-140 mm, tail 105-140, ear 16-5 mm, hindfeet 24-5 mm; weight 45-65 g. This relatively small Melomys is characterized by a gray-brown to reddish-brown dorsal pelage and a white, gray, or cream ventral one. In the original description in 1887, E. P. Ramsay mentionsits woolly, dense, thick fur of a uniformly dull ash-gray color. It has broad feet. Tail is naked,slightly shorter than head-body length, and semi-prehensile.

Habitat. The Grassland Mosaic-tailed Rat is ubiquitous and can be found in various environments, from tall grassland areas, sedge fields, open woodland, and grassy glades within tropical moist forest, to swamps, mangroves, and vine thickets. Elevational range from sea level to 1200 m.

Food and Feeding. Diet is composed of sugarcane leaves.

Breeding. Reproduction may be dependent on rainfall pattern. Litter size is 2-3 (two on average), but can be upto five; pups are weaned at around day 21. Young Grassland Mosaic-tailed Rats,if disturbed, attach to the nipples of their mother and she may drag them around.

Activity patterns. Grassland Mosaic-tailed Rats are terrestrial, but may climb as well. At c.1 m above the soil, large spherical nests of shredded grass or leaves of 50 cm diameter reveal where young and female rest. Nests can be found on the ground, butthis rodent can also dig burrows.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Grassland Mosaic-tailed Rat is a very common, locally abundant species. It is a pest in sugarcane fields.

Bibliography. Bryant et al. (2011), Breed & Ford (2007), Fabre, Fitriana et al. (2017), Kerle (2008), Menzies (1996), Musser & Carleton (2005), Ramsay (1887a).