259.

Dusky Seram Mosaic-tailed Rat

Melomys aerosus

French: Mélomys cuivré / German: Dunkle Seram-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de Seram oscura

Other common names: Dusky Seram Melomys

Taxonomy. Uromys aerosus Thomas, 1920,

“Mount Manusela [Pulau Seram, Indonesia]. 4000-6000" [= 1219-1829 m].”

Originally described in genus Uromys, M. aerosus was placed in Melomys by O. Thomas in 1922 and in subgenus Paramelomys by H. Rimmler in 1936. According to G. H. H.Tate in 1951, the cranial morphology indicated that M. aerosus was closely related to Australian species of Melomys, especially to M. cervinipes . G. B. Corbet and |. E. Hill in 1992 placed aerosus within Melomys genus. In his 1996 revision, J. I. Menzies found that aerosus shared a mosaic of characters with Melomys and Paramelomys but finally attributed it to Melomys . P. H. Fabre and colleagues in 2017 found its skull very similar to that of M. paveli . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from three localities (Mt Manusela, Mt Hoaulu, and near Kanikeh) on Seram I, Indonesia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 150-160 mm, tail 125-138 mm, ear 16-18 mm, hindfoot 31-34 mm; weight 97-123 g. This medium-sized Melomys species has a uniformly dusky brown pelage and a tail

shorter (86-92%) than head-body length. Females have twopairs of mammae.

Habitat. Primary rainforest and secondary habitats (banana plantations), from 650 m to 1830 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Dusky Seram Mosaic-tailed Rat is arboreal, but forages on the ground at night.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List despite a possible capacity to survive deforestation by invading secondary habitats. The Dusky Seram Mosaic-tailed Rat occurs on a small island, has a very small range (1717 km?), and occurs in very few locations. It is known only from ten specimens in three localities.

Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Fabre, Fitriana et al. (2017), Helgen (2003), Kellogg (1945a), Menzies (1996), Rimmler (1936), Tate (1951), Thomas (1920c, 1922c¢).