741.

Bornean Mountain Spiny Rat

Maxomys alticola

French: Maxomys de montagne / German: Gebirgs-Rajah-Ratte / Spanish: Rata espinosa de montana de Borneo

Other common names: Bornean Mountain Maxomys, Mountain Spiny Rat

Taxonomy. Mus alticola Thomas, 1888,

“Mount Kina Balu, North Borneo,”

Malaysia.

Phylogenetic affinities of M. alticola are uncertain, although it is probably most closely related to other endemic Bornean Maxomys . Monotypic.

Distribution. Mt Kinabalu and Mt Trus Madi, N Borneo.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 139- 176 mm, tail 128-176 mm, ear 17-22 mm, hindfoot 34-37 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Bornean Mountain Spiny Rat is medium-sized, with long and harsh pelage and many spines mixed dorsally and ventrally. Dorsum is dark bluish gray, nearly black, and lighter on sides. Venter is white and not sharply demarcated from dorsum. Feet are white, long, and narrow. Ears are light in color and large; vibrissae are long. Tail is c¢.100% of head-body length and sharply bicolored, dark brownish above and yellowish white below. The flea Sigmactenus alticola has been collected on the Bornean Mountain Spiny Rat. There are four pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one post-axillary, one abdominal, and one inguinal.

Habitat. Lower andupper montane tropical forest up to high elevations with subalpine forests. The Bornean Mountain Spiny Rat is apparently most common in areas with many trees.

Food and Feeding. The Bornean Mountain Spiny Rat eats insects.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Bornean Mountain Spiny Ratis probably nocturnal and reportedly terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Bornean Mountain Spiny Rat appears to have a relatively restricted distribution, but it isprobably larger throughout mountains of northern Borneo. It occurs in Kinabalu National Park and is threatened most by habitat loss, although this is less of a problem at higher elevations. Additional research is needed to fully understand its natural history, taxonomy, and threats.

Bibliography. Achmadi (2017), Achmadi et al. (2013), Cassola (2016ah), Corbet & Hill (1992), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser et al. (1979), Nor (2001), Phillipps & Phillipps (2016), Steppan & Schenk (2017).