Paramelomys gressitti, Menzies, 1996

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Muridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 536-884 : 703

285.

Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat

Paramelomys gressitti

French: Mélomys de Gressitt / German: Gressitt-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de Gressitt

Other common names: Gressit's Paramelomys

Taxonomy. Paramelomys gressitti Menzies, 1996 ,

near summit of Mount Kaindi, 2300 m, Wau region, Morobe province, Papua New Guinea.

The first comprehensive revision of all the species attributed to Melomys led J. I. Menzies in 1996 to resurrect the genus Paramelomys and to redefine its morphologicallimits and species content. Menzies created P. gressitti as a new species belonging to a group displaying morphological similarities and including also P. lorentzii and P. moncktoni . Monotypic Distribution. E New Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 135-162 mm, hindfoot 30-34 mm; no specific data are available for body weight. Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat is a medium-sized Paramelomys with a soft, thick and woolly pelage, a long narrow foot, and a tail with three hairs per scale. It exhibits a medium-sepia dorsal pelage and a gray-buff ventral one. Tail is slightly shorter (99%) than head-body length. The skull has a narrow zygomatic plate. Habitat. Moist tropical mountain forest between 2300 m and 2400 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat is terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List owing to its small geographic range (less than 3500 km?*) and the destruction ofits habitat by mining and logging activities. The major threat to Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat is ongoing habitat degradation caused by nearby human populations; habitat on Mount Kandy has been destroyed by gold-miners and wood-cutters. Bibliography. Menzies (1996).

Figures

278. Southern Groove-toothed Shrew Mouse (Microhydromys argenteus), 279. Northern Groove-toothed Shrew Mouse (Macrohydromys richardsoni), 280. Mirza’s Western Moss Rat (Mirzamys louiseae), 281. Mirza’s Eastern Moss Rat (Mirzamys norahae), 282. New Guinea Waterside Rat (Parahydromys asper), 283. Northern Water Rat (Paraleptomys rufilatus), 284. Short-haired Water Rat (Paraleptomys wilhelmina), 285. Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys gressitti), 286. Papuan Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys levipes), 287. Lorentz’s Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys lorentzii), 288. Montane Soft-furred Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys mollis), 289. Monckton’s Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys moncktoni), 290. Long-nosed Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys naso), 291. Common Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys platyops), 292. Mountain Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys rubex), 293. Stein’s Mosaic-tailed Rat (Paramelomys steini), 294. Brass’s Brush Mouse (Pogonomelomys brassi), 295. Bruyn’s Brush Mouse (Pogonomelomys bruni), 296. Shaw Mayer’s Brush Mouse (Pogonomelomys mayeri), 297. Champion’s Tree Mouse (Pogonomys championi), 298. D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago Tree Mouse (Pogonomys fergussoniensis), 299. Chestnut Tree Mouse (Pogonomys macrourus), 300. Gray-bellied Tree Mouse (Pogonomys sylvestris), 301. Loria’s Tree Mouse (Pogonomys loriae), 302. Papuan Mosaic-tailed Rat (Protochromys fellowsi), 303. Bishop Moss Mouse (Pseudohydromys berniceae), 304. Huon Small-toothed Moss Mouse (Pseudohydromys carlae), 305. Laurie’s Moss Mouse (Pseudohydromys eleanorae), 306. Shaw Mayer’s Shrew Mouse (Pseudohydromys ellerman), 307. Mottled-tailed Shrew Mouse (Pseudohydromys fuscus), 308. German’s One-toothed Moss Mouse (Pseudohydromys germani), 309. Eastern New Guinea Shrew Mouse (Pseudohydromys murinus), 310. Torricelli Mountains Shrew Mouse (Pseudohydromys mussert), 311. Western New Guinea Shrew Mouse (Pseudohydromys occidentalis), 312. Woolley’s Moss Mouse (Pseudohydromys patriciae), 313. Southern Small-toothed Moss Mouse (Pseudohydromys pumehanae), 314. White-bellied Moss Mouse (Pseudohydromys sandrae)

The first comprehensive revision of all the species attributed to Melomys led J. I. Menzies in 1996 to resurrect the genus Paramelomys and to redefine its morphologicallimits and species content. Menzies created P. gressitti as a new species belonging to a group displaying morphological similarities and including also P. lorentzii and P. moncktoni . Monotypic Distribution. E New Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 135-162 mm, hindfoot 30-34 mm; no specific data are available for body weight. Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat is a medium-sized Paramelomys with a soft, thick and woolly pelage, a long narrow foot, and a tail with three hairs per scale. It exhibits a medium-sepia dorsal pelage and a gray-buff ventral one. Tail is slightly shorter (99%) than head-body length. The skull has a narrow zygomatic plate. Habitat. Moist tropical mountain forest between 2300 m and 2400 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat is terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List owing to its small geographic range (less than 3500 km?*) and the destruction ofits habitat by mining and logging activities. The major threat to Gressitt’s Mosaic-tailed Rat is ongoing habitat degradation caused by nearby human populations; habitat on Mount Kandy has been destroyed by gold-miners and wood-cutters. Bibliography. Menzies (1996).