Sundamys maxi (Sody, 1932)

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 : 866

760.

Bartels’s Rat

Sundamys maxi

French: Sundamys de Java / German: Bartels-Sunda-Riesenratte / Spanish: Rata de Sonda de Bartels

Other common names: Javan Sundamys

Taxonomy. Rattus maxi Sody, 1932 ,

Cibuni, Bandung, Java, Indonesia.

In a recent phylogenetic analysis, S. max: was found to be the sister species to S. muelleri . Monotypic.

Distribution. WJava.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 218- 270 mm, tail 258-309 mm, ear 24-28 mm, hindfoot 52-55 mm; weight 521-643 g. Bartels’s Rat is similar in size to the Mountain Giant Rat ( S. infraluteus ). Dorsum is a dark brown while a venteris a slightly paler dark brown with no demarcation between the two. Tail is long (c.116% of head-body length) and dark brown as well. Ears and vibrissae are long and dark. Feet are furred dorsally and dark brown. Like for the Mountain Giant Rat, skull of Bartels’s Rat is much larger than those of Annandale’s Sundaic Rat ( S. annandalei ) and Muller’s Rat ( S. muelleri ). In Bartels’s Rat, stapedial arterial branch is reduced or absent, and internal maxillary artery branches from main internal carotid artery. In some individuals, alisphenoid strut is present. Sphenopterygoid vacuity is present and much larger in most specimens compared with other species of Sundamys .Bartels’s Rat and the Mountain Giant Rat have large molars relative to their skull lengths. Cusp t3 on M* and M? is present and well-developed. There are four pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one post-axillary, and two inguinal.

Habitat. Likely primary forested habitats at elevations of 900-1350 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Bartels’s Rat is probably nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Bartels’s Rat is known only from the type series collected in 1932-1935. It is probably highly threatened by human activities in its type locality in Java where nearly no forest habitat remains.

Bibliography. Camacho-Sanchez et al. (2017), Chasen (1940), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Newcomb (1983), Musser & Ruedas (2008j), Sody (1931).

Figures

Distribution. WJava.