177.

Brown-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rat

Carpomys phaeurus

French: Carpomys a queue brune / German: Braunschwanz-Zwergborkenratte / Spanish: Rata enana de cola marrén

Other common names: Small Luzon Carpomys, White-bellied Luzon Tree Rat, White-bellied Tree Rat

Taxonomy. Carpomys phaeurus Thomas, 1895,

Mt. Data, Luzon Island, Philippines.

Different studies place it as sister to a clade including Batomys and Crateromys or to a clade including Batomys and Musseromys . Monotypic.

Distribution. Cordillera Central of N Luzon I, Philippines.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 166-175 mm,tail 156-161 mm,ear 19 mm, hindfoot 31-32 mm; weight 123 g. The Browntailed Dwarf Cloud Rat is a small rat with abroad, blunt head and soft, fluffy, and thick fur and being significantly smaller than the Black-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rat ( C. melanurus). Dorsal pelage is dark brown with coarse black lining throughout and is well demarcated from ventral pelage with some shading between them. Head is a lighter brown. Ventral pelage is nearly white, being slightly yellowish with a slate gray base to the hairs. There is a dark ring offur surrounding the eye that gives a masked appearance. Feet are broad with white digits and a silvery brown stripe down dorsal surface of the hindfeet. Ears are relatively short, rounded, and a lighter brown, being less hairy than in the Black-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rat. Tail is long (c.93% of head-body length), hairy, and a dark brown coloration without the dorsal pelage extending to the base of the tail as it does in the Black-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rat—also being less hairy on the tail than its congener. Skull is robust with a rounded braincase and short face, being smaller with smaller molars and incisors when compared to the Brown-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rat. Females have two pairs of mammae, both of which are inguinal, and an elongated urinary papilla that looks like a penis sheath.

Habitat. Mossy forest at elevations of 2150-2500 m. One specimen was captured on the trunk of a large moss covered oak tree ( Quercus sp.) ¢.5 m above the ground.

Food and Feeding. The Brown-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rat probably eats seeds.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Brown-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rats are probably nocturnal and arboreal, although they apparently nest among tree roots.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Although the Brown-tailed Dwarf Cloud Rat is known from few specimens, probably due to the difficulty of trapping this canopy dependent species,it is seemingly widespread in mossy forest and further sampling using more focused capture techniques is needed. The species may be locally extinct on Mount Data. It is probably threatened by urbanization and agricultural expansion that is destroying its habitat throughout Luzon, although thisis occurring mostly in lowland habitats. It is found in Balbasung National Park.

Bibliography. Balete et al. (2015), Heaney (2016g), Heaney, Balete, Gee et al. (2005), Heaney, Balete & Rickart (2016), Heaney, Balete, Rickart, Utzurrum & Gonzales (1999), Largen (1985), Rabor (1955), Sanborn (1952a).