Macrotarsomys peter, Goodman & Soarimalala, 2005

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Nesomyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 156-203 : 190

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6600357

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6600237

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03993828-FFF5-0F51-FF28-FCA2CEDDF70C

treatment provided by

Felipe (2022-05-31 19:24:34, last updated 2024-11-26 00:29:20)

scientific name

Macrotarsomys peter
status

 

20. View Plate 8: Nesomyidae

Petter’s Big-footed Mouse

Macrotarsomys peter

French: Kelibotra de Petter / German: Pette-Madagaskar-Gro 3fuldmaus / Spanish: Raton de pies grandes de Petter

Taxonomy. Macrotarsomys petteri Goodman & Soarimalala, 2005 ,

“ Province de Toliara, Foret des Mikea , 16 km west Vorehy, Foret d’Andaladomo , 22°16.0’S, 43°28.7’E, 80 m,” Madagascar GoogleMaps .

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to SW Madagascar (Andalomo Forest, Mikea Forest). View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 160 mm, tail 238 mm; weight 105 g. All measurements are from one Petter’s Big-footed Mouse. Dorsum is dark grayish brown. Flanks have distinct line separating back, and venter is uniform white. Eyes are proportionately large, and ears are distinctly elongated. Tail is remarkably long and two-tone, dark brown dorsally and a little lighter ventrally; tip is covered with off-white elongated hair tuft. Hindlegs are elongated.

Habitat. Transitional dry deciduousforest-spiny bush. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse is only known from a singlesite at an elevation of 80 m. In the Mikea Forest, it occurs in sympatry with Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse (M. bastard).

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse is nocturnal and presumed to be exclusively terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red Last. Petter’s Bigfooted Mouse is spiny bush—dwelling and is known from a single specimen in Mikea Forest, which has been extensively surveyed for small mammals. Given continued declines in natural forests of this region, specifically the site the holotype was obtained, including conversion of forest to agriculture and frequent fires, its medium-term future is uncertain. On the basis of subfossil remains, Petter’s Big-footed Mouse had a distinctly broader distribution on Madagascar,specifically in the south, until about 1800.

Bibliography. Goodman & Soarimalala (2005), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Goodman, Vasey & Burney (2006), Soarimalala & Goodman (2004, 2011).

Gallery Image

1. White-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys albicauda), 2. Hairy-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys villosus), 3. Sleek-furred Ground Rat (Gymnuromys robert), 4. Antsingy Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus antsingy), 5. Carleton’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus carletoni), 6. Daniel’s Tufted-tail Rat (Elurus daniels), 7. Ellerman’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus ellermani), 8. Grandidier’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus grandidieri), 9. Major's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus majori), 10. Lesser Tufted-taill Rat (Elurus minor), 11. Milne-Edwards’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus myoxinus), 12. White-tailed Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus penicillatus), 13. Petter’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus petteri), 14. Tanala Tufted-taill Rat (Elwurus tanala), 15. Webb's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus webbi), 16. Anjozorobe Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo antsahabensis), 17. Northern Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo gymnocaudus), 18. Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi), 19. Ankarafantsika Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys ingens), 20. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys peter), 21. Koopman' ’ s Forest Mouse (Monticolomys koopmani), 22. Giant Jumping Rat (Hypogeomys antimena), 23. Small Short-tailed Rat (Brachywromys betsileoensis), 24. Large Short-tailed Rat (Brachyuromys ramirohitra), 25. Audebert’s Forest Rat (Nesomys audeberti), 26. Lamberton’s Forest Rat (Nesomys lambertoni), 27. Red Forest Rat (Nesomys rufus), 28. Delany’s Swamp Mouse (Delanymys brooksi), 29. African White-tailed Rat (Mystromys albicaudatus), 30. Shortridge’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus shortridger), 31. Short-eared Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus monticularis), 32. Barbour’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus barbouri), 33. Common Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus collinus)

Gallery Image

Distribution. Endemic to SW Madagascar (Andalomo Forest, Mikea Forest).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

SubOrder

Myomorpha

SuperFamily

Muroidea

Family

Nesomyidae

Genus

Macrotarsomys