165.

Mount Pulag Tree Mouse

Musseromys beneficus

French: Rat du Pulag / German: Mount-Pulag-Bergwaldmaus / Spanish: Ratén arboricola de Pulag

Other common names: Burger's Tree Mouse

Taxonomy. Musseromys beneficus Heaney et al., 2014,

1-35 km E Mt. Pulag Peak, Luzon Island

, Philippines.

Recently described, based on morphological, morphometrical and molecular data; closely related to M. anacuao . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from Mt Pulag, Luzon I, Philippines.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 75-81 mm, tail 82 mm, ear 16 mm, hindfoot 18 mm; weight 18-22 g. A small mouse that is rusty orange all over, being brighter orange below; otherwise very similar to the Mount Anacuao Tree Mouse ( M. anacuao) but differs in its slightly longer tail and the presence of longer hairs at the tip ofthe tail. Tail is moderately long (101-109% of head-body length) and dark in color with a tuft of long dark hairs at the tip. Feet are pale and hindfeet are broad with large plantar pads. Forefeet have a very shortpollex with a small, convex nail incontrast to the long curved claws ofthe otherdigits. Ears arelong, rounded, and dark. Skull has broad interorbital region and zygomatic arches, a large mastoid breadth, long orbital-temporal fossa and a broad palate compared to other species in the genus. Rostrum and molar row are of moderate length with amoderately short nasal. Anterior ofincisors are pale orange; a small squamosal notch is present and the incisive foramina are long and relatively wide. Females bear two pairs of inguinal mammae.

Habitat. Captured on the ground on a branch covered in moss, in montane forest at 2695 m. The forest contained oaks, laurels, myrtles, and coniferous podocarps c.7— 12 m high, with epiphytic moss, ferns, orchids, and canopy vines.

Food and Feeding. Little is known, but the snap traps used to capture the specimens were baited with slices offried coconuts covered in peanut butter.

Breeding. Two females, with a single uterine scar and the other a young adult with an imperforated, ware captured in April, as well as an adult scrotal male.

Activity patterns. Mount Pulag Tree Mice are arboreal and probably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. The Mount Pulag Tree Mouse is known from only three specimens, all collected at the same site.

Bibliography. Balete et al. (2015), Heaney, Balete & Rickart (2016), Heaney, Balete, Rickart, Veluz & Jansa (2014).