308.

German’s One-toothed Moss Mouse

Pseudohydromys germani

French: Souris-musaraigne de German / German: German-Moosmaus / Spanish: Raton de musgo de German

Taxonomy. Mayermys germani K. M. Helgen, 2005,

“Munimun Village (09°53 S, 149°23” E), 1300 m, near Agaun (Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.”

Pseudohydromys germani was originally described in a separate genus Mayermys and maintained as such until 2009, when K. M. Helgen and L. E. Helgen argued for a more inclusive definition of Pseudohydromys . The latter authors referred P. german: to an ellermani species group that also includes P. carlae, P. ellermani, and P. pumehanae . At Mount Obree, P. germani is syntopic with P. berniciae and P. murinus; in the Maneau Range,it is regionally sympatric with P. berniciae. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from two localities on the Papuan Peninsula of New Guinea (Mt Obree, at E end of Owen Stanley Range, and SE slopes of Mt Dayman, in Maneau Range).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 87-105 mm, tail 95-103 mm, ear 11-12-6 mm, hindfoot 20-22 mm; weight 22-29-5 g. Pseudohydromysis a taxonomically diverse group of smallbodied murines characterized by dense, velvety to plush fur; a variably narrowed and flattened head with small eyes and ears; head generally without contrasting pattern; vibrissae fine and elongate, extending past ears; eyes small to minute; narrow hindfeet, lacking webbing between digits and with claws on all digits; narrow and thinly furred tail, approximating to combined length of head and body; mammae (when known) two on each side, both inguinal; cranium delicately built, with small molars reduced in number to two or fewer per quadrant. Members of the ellermani species group have one small molar per quadrant, forward-projecting upper incisors, fur smoky gray above and below with no grizzling or white spotting on rump, vibrissae extending just past ears, and they share a suite of other unique cranial features. German’s One-toothed Moss Mouse is largest member of ellermani species group, and fur on upperparts is longer and thicker (10 mm), smoky gray, slightly paler below; ears small and dark gray; upper surfaces of feet pale gray, with short buff orwhite hairs; tail (averages 106% head-body length), dark gray but mottled, and with white tip (13-22 mm), tail weakly haired, hairs equal to onetail scale. All three known specimens are male.

Habitat. Recorded at elevations of 1300-1570 m. Regional habitat at 1300-1600 m on the Southeast Papuan Peninsula is evergreen lower montane rainforest.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. All captures of German’s One-toothed Moss Mouse have been made on the ground.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The elevational range of German’s One-toothed Moss Mouse on the Southeast Papuan Peninsula of Papua New Guinea coincides witha zone of extensive habitat modification resulting from long-term subsistence agricultural activities. Lower montane rainforests in the Maneau Range, though still largely intact, are potentially vulnerable to forestry activities.

Bibliography. Flannery (1995b), Gerrie & Kennerley (2016m), Helgen (2005), Helgen & Helgen (2009), Jackson & Woolley (1993), Musser & Carleton (2005).