803.

Luzon Forest Rat

Bullimus luzonicus

French: Bullimus de Lugon / German: Luzon-Waldratte / Spanish: Rata de bosque de Luzén

Other common names: Large Luzon Forest Rat, Luzon Bullimus

Taxonomy. Mus luzonicus Thomas, 1895,

Mt. Data, Luzon Island, Philippines.

A review of Bullimus by E. A. Rickart and

colleagues in 2002, including B. luzonicus,

provided new diagnostic and morphometric characteristics. In their molecular study

of the entire Luzon endemics, S. A. Jansa and colleagues in 2006 provided a molecular tree in which B. luzonicus was sister to B. bagobus and B. gamay . A genetic study by C. C.Kyriazis and colleagues in 2017 found significant genetic variation between populations of this species. Monotypic.

Distribution. Luzon I, N Philippines.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 234-267 mm, tail 190-233 mm, ear 28-5-36 mm, hindfoot 49-56 mm; weight 351-520 g. The Luzon Forest Rat is large, with dark brown dorsum and silvery venter. Tail is hairless and shorter (77-92%) than head-body length, ending with white part. Females bear 3—4 pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Primary lowland, montane, and mossy forest and degraded forests with partially open canopy, most abundant at elevations of 1000-1450 m.

Food and Feeding. [Luzon Forest Rats eat green plant material but might be omnivorous.

Breeding. Females have an average of two embryos (range 1-3).

Activity patterns. Luzon Forest Rats are active day and night, foraging for plants on the ground.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Luzon Forest Rats make runways through tall grasses or dense undercover vegetation and leave pieces of cut grass (c.10-20 cm long) along these paths.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Balete et al. (2009), Heaney, Balete & Rickart (2016), Jansa et al. (2006), Kyriazis et al. (2017), Rickart, Heaney, Balete & Tabaranza (2011), Rickart, Heaney & Tabaranza (2002).