Leopoldamys ciliatus (Bonhote, 1900)

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 : 855-856

732.

Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rat

Leopoldamys ciliatus

French: Rat cilié ¢ / German: Sunda-Langschwanz-Riesenratte / Spanish: Rata gigante de cola larga de Sonda

Other common names: Sundaic Mountain Leopoldamys

Taxonomy. Mus ciliata [sic] Bonhote, 1901 ,

“Gunong Inas, Malay Peninsula (4000 ft. [=1219m]).”

Leopoldamys ciliatus has not been included in any phylogenetic studies but might be closest to L. milleti . It was formerly included in L. edwards : but is commonly recognized as a distinct species now, although taxonomic status of the two formsstill needs to be assessed. Monotypic.

Distribution. W Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 214-255 mm, tail 300-390 mm, ear 25-32 mm, hind-foot 45-55 mm; weight 204-425 g. The Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rat is a large rat but mid-sized for the genus. Males (average 300 g) are larger than females (average 284 g). Pelage is smooth, short, and sleek, with short gray guard hairs having brown or black tips and without spines. Dorsum is dull dark brown or grayish, with gray underfur mixed with longer dark-tipped pale hairs; sides are fawn. Venter is yellowish white and clearly demarcated from Sorran sometimes there is a dark gray or brown patch on chest. Ears are moderately long, rounded, and naked. Vibrissae are very long. Feet are uniformly brown, occasionally with white longitudinal stripe; hindfeet are longer than those of the Indomalayan Long-tailed Giant Rat ( L. sabanus ). Tail is 120-165% of head-body length, completely brown (some with unpigmented tip or ventral surface), and covered in stiff bristly hairs. There are four pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one post-axillary, and two inguinal pairs. Skull is slightly longer than that of the Indomalayan Long-tailed Giant Rat, with deeper braincase and more prominent supraorbital ridges. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 42, FN = 56.

Habitat. Found primary and degraded tropical moist forests at elevations above 1000 m. In Malaysia, the Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rat is found in montane forests with peaty floors, carpeted with mosses and many crevices in rocks and trees, and has been recorded down to 615 m, although it mainly stays above 1075 m.

Food and Feeding. The Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rat is eats insects, fruit, and vegetation.

Breeding. Males sniff ventral parts of head and genital region and lick flanks of females before mating occurs, and they are usually somewhat aggressive.

Activity patterns. The Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rat is apparently nocturnal and mostly terrestrial, occasionally climbing trees.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rats make nests in tree holes (nearly 2 m aboveground) and fallen logs. When some individuals were introduced to other conspecifics, they tended to aggregate with each other, but when put with an unrelated species (e.g. the Indomalayan Long-tailed Giant Rat subspecies vociferans ), they were more aggressive atfirst but then accepted them after a while.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rat has a wide distribution, and its populations are probably not declining at high rates. It also occurs in many protected areas, and it faces no known conservation major threats, although additional research is needed to fully understand its natural history.

Bibliography. Aplin (2016a), Balakirev, Abramov & Rozhnov (2013), Francis (2008), Lim (1970), Musser (1981a), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pimsai et al. (2014), Yong (1968, 1970).

Figures

Distribution. W Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia.