264.

Rossel Island Mosaic-tailed Rat

Melomys arcium

French: Mélomys de Rossel / German: Rossel-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de Rossel

Other common names: Rossel Island Melomys

Taxonomy. Uromys arcium Thomas, 1913,

“Rossel I[sland]., d’Entrecasteaux Group [= Islands],” Papua New Guinea.

First described as a member of genus Uro-mys, arctum was placed in Melomys by O. Thomas in 1922 and in subgenus Melomys by H.Riummler in 1936 as a subspecies Of M. leucogaster . In his 1996 revision, J. I. Menzies found M. arcium to be close to M. leucogaster, and T. F. Flannery in 1995 suggested it as a valid species, an opinion followed by G. G. Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005. Monotypic. | Distribution. Rossel I, Louisiade Archipelago,Papua New Guinea.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 138 mm,tail 127 mm, ear 18 mm, hindfoot 28 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Rossel Island Mosaic-tailed Rat is a medium-sized Melomys described as having a dull rufous-brown dorsal pelage and a white ventral surface. Tail is shorter (92%) than head-body length. Skull is large and robust.

Habitat. Specimens were collected at elevations ranging between 50 m and 700 m. There is no information on its habitat.

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 because no specimens have been recorded since 1956 and there is a lack of information about the population and ecology of this species.

Bibliography. Fabre, Fitriana et al. (2017), Flannery (1995a), Menzies (1996), Musser & Carleton (2005), Rdmmler (1936), Thomas (1913c, 1922c).