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Rattus simalurensis (Miller, 1903)

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 : 837-838

publication ID

 https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6887260

DOI

 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6867977

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E30E275-34CE-FF7E-E450-20C674D686F0

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

 Rattus simalurensis
status

 

684. View Plate 54: Muridae

Simalur Archipelago Rat

Rattus simalurensis View in CoL

French: Rat de Simeulue / German: Simalur-Ratte / Spanish: Rata de Simalur

Other common names: Simalur Rat

Taxonomy. Mus simalurensis G. S. Miller, 1903 ,

“Simalur Island, ” Sumatra, Indonesia.

Phylogenetic relationship of R. simalurensis in Rattus is currently unknown, although it may be related to R.tiomanicus , of which it may be anisland variant of other Sundaic Island rats ( R. burrus , R. adustus , and R. lugens ) based on morphology. Two subspecies have been recognized in the past. Monotypic.

Distribution. Simalur, Siumat, Lasia, and Babi Is, off NW Sumatra. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 200- 213 mm,tail 176-198 mm, hindfoot 39-2- 42-2 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Simalur Archipelago Rat is large and similar to the Malaysian Field Rat ( R. tiomanicus ). Pelage is dense, fine, and moderately coarse, with grooved spines and black guard hairs throughout, both having metallic iridescence at ends. Dorsum is grizzled black, with dull ocherous buff, and light-er along sides. Venteris buff, with somewhat gray streak on chest. Feet are dull brownish. Ears are dark brown. Tail is a little shorter than head-body length and dark brown. Skull has narrow rostrum and long and narrow incisive foramina. There are five pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one post-axillary, one abdominal, and two inguinal.

Habitat. Probably forests and forest edges.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Simalur Archipelago Rat has a limited distribution (less than 3900 km?) and has not been studied well enough to understand its natural history, taxonomy, or conservation threats. It is probably threatened by forest loss and competition with the Roof Rat ( R. rattus ) and the Pacific Rat ( R. exulans ).

Bibliography. Clayton (2016h), Corbet & Hill (1992), Miller (1903a), Molur et al. (2005), Musser (1986), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Califia (1982), Musser & Heaney (1985).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Muridae

Genus

Rattus

Loc

Rattus simalurensis

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr 2017
2017
Loc

Mus simalurensis

G. S. Miller 1903
1903

Specimens

GBIF Dataset (for parent article) Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF