641.

Smoke-bellied White-bellied Rat

Niviventer eha

French: Rat dAitken / German: Kleine Himalaya-WeiRbauchratte / Spanish: Rata de vientre blanco ahumado

Other common names: Little Himalayan Rat, Smoke-bellied Niviventer, Smoke-bellied Rat

Taxonomy. Epimys eha Wroughton, 1916,

“Lachen, [Sikkim, India]. Alt. 8800 ft [=

2680 m].” Niviventer eha is morphologically most similar to N. brahma, but phylogenetically, it either forms monotypic clade sister to all other species except N. huang, N. fulvescens, and N. rapit, or itis sister to N. brahma more research is needed to determine its true placement in Niwviventer. Subspecies

nanus has been named, but it needs validation. Currently considered monotypic.

Distribution. SW & S China (Tibet [= Xizang] and Yunnan), C & E Nepal, NE India (West Bengal, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh), N Myanmar, and possibly Bhutan and SC China (Sichuan and Guizhou).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 112-130 mm,tail 165-195 mm, ear 17-19 mm, hindfoot 28-31 mm; weight 21-5-63g. The Smoke-bellied White-bellied Rat is one of the smallest species of Niviventer, significantly smaller than the morphologically similar Brahman White-bellied Rat ( N. brahma). Pelage is long, soft, and fluffy, without any spines. Dorsum is dull ocherous brown; sides are brighter orange; and venter is smoky grayish white, caused by hairs with gray bases and grayish white tips. Dorsum and venter are sharply demarcated. Darker patch occasionally goes from bases of vibrissae to eyes; vibrissae are long. Conspicuous dark blackish brown patch occurs at front bases of dark brown ears. Tail is ¢.149% of head-body length and slightly bicolored, brownish black above and slightly paler below, with hairs getting longer distally until ending in small brush on tip. Dark brown patch occurs on top of long slender hindfeet. Forefeet and hindfeet have five digits, with reduced fifth toe with smaller claw; toes are white. Skull is smaller than the Brahman White-bellied Ratand and has shorter palatal bridge relative to length of tooth row. Ixodid ticks and Trombiclid mites have been recorded on the Smoke-bellied White-bellied Rat, and it carries the Fugong hantavirus. Females have three pairs of mammae: one post-axillary, one abdominal and one inguinal pair.

Habitat. Cool montane conifer forests, rhododendron forests, bamboo stands, and damp temperate forests at elevations of 2000-3700 m. The Smoke-bellied White-bellied Rat has been caught near streams and rocky outcrops and might be able to survive in disturbed habitat such as secondary forest.

Food and Feeding. The Smoke-bellied White-bellied Rateats insects, preferring larvae, fruit, and starchy roots.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Smoke-bellied White-bellied Rat is mostly terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Smoke-bellied White-bellied Rat has a large distribution and presumably stable and large overall population, with no major conservation threats.

Bibliography. Anthony (1941), Balakirev & Rozhnov (2010), Daniel (2015), Ge Xingyi et al. (2016), He Kai & Jiang Xuelong (2015), Jing Meidong et al. (2007), Lu Liang et al. (2015), Molur (2016f), Molur et al. (2005), Musser (1970a, 1981a), Musser & Carleton (2005), Smith & Yan Xie (2008).