733.

Diwangkara’s Long-tailed Giant Rat

Leopoldamys diwangkarai

French: Rat diwangkara / German: Diwangkara-Langschwanz-Riesenratte / Spanish: Rata gigante de cola larga de Diwangkara

Other common names: Diwangkara's Leopoldamys

Taxonomy. Leopoldamys diwangkarai Maryanto & Sinaga, 2008,

“Primary forest, Pemantang, Haju, Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan (00° 19° 22.17 §; 114°: 49°’ 58”

E).”

Leopoldamys diwangkaraiwas recently described based on morphological data and has not been included in a phylogenetic study, and thus, its position in the genus is unresolved. There are significant morphological differences between Bornean and Javan populations that potentially could be subspecific or represent separate species and require further investigation.

Distribution. Known only from three localities in C Borneo and WJava.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 197-225 mm,tail 293-317 mm, ear 20-27 mm, hindfoot 42-49 mm. Nospecific data are available for body weight. Diwangkara’s Longtailed Giant Rat is small, with short, sleek, and somewhat softer pelage than on the Indomalayan Long-tailed Giant Rat ( L. sabanus), which with it is sympatric. The one specimen of Diwangkara’s Long-tailed Giant Rat from Java was much larger than the other two specimens from Borneo. Dorsum is brownish and reddish, with dark gray underfur; specimens are duller and browner in Java. Venter is white to cream and sharply demarcated from dorsum. Front and hindfeet have dark blackish brown stripe dorsally thatis darker than on the Indomalayan Long-tailed Giant Rat and Edwards’s Long-tailed Giant Rat ( L. edwardsi). Tail is very long, 140-152% of head-body length, darkish brown above, and sharply paler below. Ears are moderately long, rounded, and naked. Vibrissae are very long. Hindfeet are long. There are four pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one post-axillary and two inguinal pairs. Skull is smaller than those of the Indomalayan Long-tailed Giant Rat and Edwards’s Long-tailed Giant Rat, being long and narrow with long rostrum.

Habitat. Primary lowland and montane forests at elevations of 400-1400 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Diwangkara’s Long-tailed Giant Rat is found in Bukit Baka National Park in West Kalimantan and Cibodas Gede Pangrango National Park in West Java. It was only recently described and is in need of research to fully understand its natural history and conservation threats.

Bibliography. Engelbrektsson (2016b), Maryanto & Sinaga (2008).