749.

Palawan Spiny Rat

Maxomys panglima

French: Maxomys de Palawan / German: Palawan-Rajah-Ratte / Spanish: Rata espinosa de Palawan

Other common names: Palawan Maxomys

Taxonomy. Rattus panglima H. C. Robinson, 1921,

“Palawan [Island],”

Philippines.

Maxomys panglima was treated as subspecies of M. surifer, but G. G. Musser and in 1979 listed it as distinct, with uncertain relationship either to M. suriferand M. rajah . In the phylogenetic study by A. S. Achmadi and colleagues in 2013, M. panglima was sister to M. pagensis and M. rajah . According to Musser and M. D. Carleton, there is another undescribed Maxomys from Mindoro. Monotypic.

Distribution. Palawan, Calauit, Busuanga, Culion, and Balabac Is, Philippines.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 167-222 mm, tail 180-226 mm, ear 22-27 mm, hindfoot 39-43 mm; weight 189-240 g. The Palawan Spiny Rat is medium-sized, with very spiny fur and tail slightly shorter than head-body length. No other indigenous Muridae species of the Palawan Faunal Region has spiny pelage. Dorsal pelage consists of stiff, grooved spines, iron gray or somewhatlighter. Venteris almost white and sharply demarcated from dorsum. Feet are long, narrow, and white, with smooth and naked plantar surfaces; there are six plantar pads on each sole. Tail is dark above and lighter below; distal one-quarter is completely white. The Palawan Spiny Ratis not likely to be confused with other rats of the Palawan Faunal Region. Females have eight mammae.

Habitat. Forested lowland and montane habitats, including primary forest, secondary forests, agricultural areas, second growth areas, and tree plantations from sea level up to elevations of ¢.1950 m. The Palawan Spiny Rat was the most commonly captured small mammal in agricultural/forest mosaic and often the most common in primary lowland and montane forest. It is present but less common in mossy forest above ¢.1600 m, where is overlaps with the Palawan Mountain Rat ( Palawanomys furvus) on Mount Mantalingahan.

Food and Feeding. Palawan Spiny Rats probably eat plant and animal food on the ground, rarely aboveground.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Palawan Spiny Rats are primarily terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Palawan Spiny Rat has a wide distribution and presumably large overall population and occurs in a number of protected areas. It is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category. It faces no major threats. It is not known to be a pest but occasionally occurs in gardens.

Bibliography. Achmadi et al. (2013), Balete et al. (2016), Barbehenn et al. (1972), Boitani et al. (2006), Chasen (1940), Esselstyn et al. (2004), Heaney, Balete et al. (1998), Heaney, Dolar et al. (2010), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser etal. (1979), Sanborn (1952a).