250.

Greater Small-toothed Rat

Macruromys major

French: Grand Macruromys / German: Grofse Neuguinea-Kleinzahnratte / Spanish: Rata de dientes pequenos mayor

Other common names: Eastern Small-toothed Rat, Greater Macruromys

Taxonomy. Macruromys major Rummler, 1935,

Kratke Mountains, 1220-1524 m, Buntibasa District, Eastern Highland Province, Papua New Guinea.

G. G. Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005 treated Macruromys under the Pogonomys division, and several recent phylogenetic studies place it as sister to Chiruromys vates, nested within a Pogonomys — Lorentzimys clade together with Anisomys and Hyomys . Monotypic.

Distribution. New Guinea, including Cordillera Central from Snow (= Sudirman) Mts E to Mt Simpson and Huon Peninsula.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 225-263 mm, tail 315-340 mm, ear 13-19 mm, hindfoot 52-60 mm; one female weighed 350 g. This medium-large rat is bigger than the Lesser Small-toothed Rat ( M. elegans) and has coarser pelage. Both species are superficially like Rattus or Uromys, but with naked tail having overlapping scales, carrying three hairs per scale, and with verysmall, simple molars. The Greater Small-toothed Rat has upperparts finely mottled yellowish black, with middle of back appearing generally blackish brown, and underparts are whitish gray with white basal hairs. Long tail is gray brown on basal two-thirds and white at tip. It differs from the Lesser Small-toothed Rat in being larger and having white tail tip. Skull is peculiar in that, combined with full

braincase, long rostrum, and slightly expanded zygomata, the three molars are exceptionally small and reduced. Females have four mammae.

Habitat. The Greater Small-toothed Rat appears to be restricted to mid-montane tropical forest, where it is usually collected along creeks and rivers. Its altitudinal range is 660-1900 m, but it is most common between 1200 m and 1550 m.

Food and Feeding. No information. Dietary significance of the relatively small molars is not known.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The long whiskers of the Greater Small-toothed Rat relate to a nocturnal lifestyle. It is usually collected on the ground, and lives in burrows on forest floor.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Although it appears to be a naturally scarce species confined to a fairly narrow altitudinal range, the Greater Small-toothed Rat has a relatively wide distribution, and the population is stable. It is not known if it is present in any protected areas, but it may occur in Lorentz National Park. Further investigation is needed into the distribution, abundance, and threats to this species, which is subject to hunting by local people, presumably for food.

Bibliography. Aplin (2016j), Boitani et al. (2006), Fabre et al. (2012), Flannery (1995b), Menzies & Dennis (1979), Musser & Carleton (2005), Rowe et al. (2014, 2016b), Rimmler (1935), Steppan & Schenk (2017), Tate {1951).