746.

Broad-nosed Sumatran Spiny Rat

Maxomys inflatus

French: Maxomys a nez large / German: Breitnasen-Rajah-Ratte / Spanish: Rata espinosa de Sumatra de hocico ancho

Other common names: Broad-nosed Sumatran Maxomys, Fat-nosed Spiny Rat

Taxonomy. Epimys inflatus H. C. Robinson & Kloss, 1916,

“Sungei Kumbang, Ko- rinchi, 4,700’ [= 1433 m], West Sumatra,” Indonesia.

Phylogenetic affinities of M. inflatus are uncertain, but morphologically, it has no close relatives. Monotypic.

Distribution. W Sumatra.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 160- 193 mm, tail 143-190 mm, ear 22-25 mm, hindfoot 37-43 mm. No specific data are available for body ——The Broad-nosed Sumatran Spiny Rat is relatively large, with short and spiny pelage. Dorsum is orangish brown; venteris similar color to dorsum but patchier and lighter. Feet are long and narrow. Ears are rounded, vibrissae are long and dark. Tail is equal orslightly shorter than head—body length and bicolored, dark brownish above and white below. Skull has highly inflated nasolacrimal capsules, making rostrum wide. The mite Listrophoroides inflatus has been recorded from the Broad-nosed Sumatran Spiny Rat. There are three pairs of mammae: one post-axillary and two inguinal.

Habitat. Tropical evergreen forests at elevations of 900-1500 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Broad-nosed Sumatran Spiny Rat is probably nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Broadnosed Sumatran Spiny Rat has a relatively wide distribution and is considered relatively common. It occurs in Kerinci Seblat National Park, and it faces no major threats although logging in lowlands might have some impact. Additional research is needed to fully understand its natural history, taxonomy, and threats.

Bibliography. Achmadi et al. (2013), Bochkov & O'Connor (2005), Clayton (2016m), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musseret al. (1979), Robinson & Kloss (1916), Steppan & Schenk (2017).