168.

Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat

Phloecomys cumingi

French: Rat-tacheté de Cuming / German: Sidliche Riesenborkenratte / Spanish: Rata gigante de Luzén meridional

Other common names: Southern Giant Slendertailed Cloud Rat, Southern Luzon Phloeomys

Taxonomy. Mus (Phloeomys) cumingi Waterhouse, 1839,

Luzon Island, Philippines.

Cytogenetic analysis by E. A. Rickart and G. G. Musser in 1993 supported earlier morphological studies in dividing this genus into two species, which have distinct karyotypes. S. A. Jansa and colleagues, in 2006, showed that P. cumingi is the basal taxon of a clade (Phloeomyini) that includes various other species of Luzon endemic, a result confirmed by D. S. Balete and colleagues in 2015. Monotypic.

Distribution. C & S Luzon, Marinduque, and Catanduanes Is, Philippines.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 397-438 mm, tail 274-314 mm, ear 34-37 mm, hindfoot 74-85 mm; weight 1.8-2.1 kg. The Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat is one ofthe largest murids. It has rough dark brown fur dorsally and ventrally. It has relatively small ears, which are dark brown and fully furred, and eyes. Tail is shorter (¢.70%) than head-body length and covered in dark brown hairs. Feed are rather broad and somewhat elongated, with long claws. Vibrissae are long and dark. Skull is large with very small auditory bullae and a circular interparietal. Females bear twopairs of mammae. Karyotype is 2n = 44, FN = 66.

Habitat. Primary and disturbed lowland forest, coconut plantations, and pastures, at elevations of 150-1100 m.

Food and Feeding. The Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat is a generalist herbivore. It forages in trees and onthe ground for plant matter (young leaves, bamboo shoots, and flowers). It has been seen in fields, eating sweet potatoes, maize, and chayote.

Breeding. Females usually have a single young, sometimes two. In captivity, species of Phloeomys are reported to breed in all months except forJanuary, March, and May. Young are carried by attaching themselves firmly to the nipple.

Activity patterns. Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rats are nocturnal and are seen in suburban areas at night. They nest in hollow trees, including strangler figs, or in hollow logs.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rats live alone, in pairs, or in pairs with one or two dependent young, which are born in the hollow boles of standing orfallen trees or in holes in the ground. They are known to make a guttural call consisting of a single note.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List due to its small and fragmented range, and local population declines. The Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat is hunted for meat; deforestation is also important. However, it is successful in coconut plantations, where it issometimes considered a pest.

Bibliography. Balete et al. (2015), Corbet & Hill (1992), Heaney, Balete & Rickart (2016), Heaney, Balete, Rosell-Ambal, Tabaranza, Ong, Ruedas, Gonzales & Oliver (2008), Jansa et al. (2006), Michaux et al. (2007), Musser & Heaney (1992), Oliver et al. (1993), Rickart & Musser (1993), Schauenberg (1978), Thomas (1898b).