691.

Peleng Island Xanthurus Rat

Rattus pelurus

French: Rat de Peleng / German: Peleng-Gelbschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola dorada de Peleng

Other common names: Peleng Rat, Peleng Xanthurus Rat

Taxonomy. Rattus foramineus pelurus Sody, 1941,

Pulau Peleng (1°23’ S, 123°14’ E), east of Sulawesi, Kepulauan Banggai, Indonesia.

Rattus pelurus is in the R. xanthurus species group within Rattus, although its exact relationship is uncertain and genetic studies are needed. It has been included as a subspecies of R. xanthurus . The R. xanthurus species group is currently under revision. Monotypic.

Distribution. Peleng I, off E Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 236-267 mm,tail 245-297 mm, ear 24-26 mm, hindfoot 44-45 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Peleng Island Xanthurus Rat is large, with harsh long pelage, very conspicuous black guard hairs, and soft spines. Dorsum is grayish brown; venteris grayish and not sharply demarcated from dorsum. Hindfeet are wide. Ears are pale brown. Tail is ¢.110% of head-body length and bicolored, being black up until white three-fifths from tip. Skull has relatively short rostrum compared with Koopman’s Peleng Island Rat ( R. koopmani). There are four pairs of mammae: two pectoral and two inguinal.

Habitat. [Lowland evergreen forests.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Peleng Island Xanthurus Rat might be arboreal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Peleng Island Xanthurus Rat has a limited distribution and is only known from the type series. It might be threatened by habitat degradation because much of the forest habitat on Peleng Island has been logged and used for agricultural expansion. Additional research is needed to fully understand its natural history, taxonomy, and conservation threats.

Bibliography. Gerrie & Kennerley (2016c), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Holden (1991).