302.

Papuan Mosaic-tailed Rat

Protochromys fellowsi

French: Rat a ventre roux / German: Fellows-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de Papua

Other common names: Papuan Protochromys, Red-bellied Mosaic-tailed Rat, Red-bellied Protochromys

Taxonomy. Melomys fellowsi Hinton, 1943,

Baiyanka, 2440 m, Purari-Ramu Divide, Papua New Guinea.

Taxon fellows: was originally described as a very distinct Melomys, but its inclusion in that genus was always questioned. In 1996, J. I. Menzies created the new genus Protochromys on basis of some morphological features which separate it from Melomys and Paramelomys . G. G. Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005 placed Protochromys in the

Uromys division. Whether Protochromys is related to Melomys, Paramelomys or other Uromyini genera has yet to be determined in any molecular-genetic analysis. Monotypic.

Distribution. Central Range of E New Guinea from Porgera area E to the Hagen Range and Mt Wilhelm in Bismarck Range; it may range farther W & E in Papua New Guinea.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 136-180 mm, tail 184-207 mm, ear 19-20 mm, hindfoot 29-34 mm; weight 75-86 g. The Papuan Mosaic-tailed Rat is a medium-sized, longtailed murine with dense, soft, woolly fur. Upperparts are dark reddish brown, while underparts are buffy gray, tipped with pale reddish hairs. Tail, with non-overlapping scales,is longer (by ¢.30%) than head-body length;it appears naked with one hair per scale, dark above, and light below. Hands are pale, with dark hairs extending to wrist. Hindfeet are narrow with dark hairs. It shares the narrow feet and long snout with Paramelomys, large upper third molar and the large auditory bullae with Melomys, and white incisors with Brassomys (this feature is unique to the two genera). Skull is narrow and elongated, with extremely narrow zygomatic plate, and relatively large bullae. Females have four mammae.

Habitat. High-altitude moss forest, at elevations of 1800-2600 m.

Food and Feeding. The Papuan Mosaic-tailed Rat is presumably mycophagus: contents of nine stomachs included parts of mushrooms. Dentary and skull anatomy may relate to a special diet, shared bythe Karoko Hill Rat ( Bunomys karokophilus), the Montane Hill Rat ( B. penitus), and possibly the White-toothed Mouse ( Brassomys albidens).

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. [Local population abundance appears to be variable.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Papuan Mosaic-tailed Rat was abundant at the majority of localities where it has been caught. There are no major threats to this species. Its high-altitude habitat lies above the agricultural zone and is not threatened by conversion to cultivated land. This murid is, however,locally threatened in west of its range by loss of habitat through mining operations (gold, silver, copper, etc.).

Bibliography. Boitani et al. (2006), Flannery (1995b), Helgen, Leary & Wright (2016g), Hinton (1943), Menzies (1996), Menzies & Dennis (1979), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Lunde (2009), Tate (1951).