Gray tree rat | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Muridae |
Tribe: | Rattini |
Genus: | Lenothrix Miller, 1903 |
Species: | L. canus |
Binomial name | |
Lenothrix canus Miller, 1903 | |
The gray tree rat (Lenothrix canus) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae and the only species in the monotypic genus Lenothrix. It is found in forests in Indonesia and Malaysia. A common species, the IUCN has rated it as being of "least concern".
The gray tree rat was first described by the American zoologist Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. as Lenothrix canus in 1903. Molecular data suggests that it is closely related to the white-bellied rats Niviventer , but is widely diverged from Maxomys , and its phylogenetic affinities are unclear. It has many primitive morphological, cranial and dental features and may have diverged from the core murine lineage at an early stage. [2]
Head-and-body length is 165 to 220 mm (6 to 9 in) and tail length is 190 to 270 mm (7 to 11 in). The fur is dense and woolly and free from spines. The head and back are grayish brown or gray and the underparts are white or buffish white. The tail is dark at the base and white near the tip. The hind feet are broad and have claws on all the digits. [3] (
The species is native to Indonesia and Malaysia. Its range includes peninsular Malaysia, Penang Island and Tuangku Island, and the states of Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan in Borneo. That it has not been recorded from Brunei is probably the result of insufficient sampling rather than its absence from that state. It is an arboreal rodent, inhabiting all kinds of wooded habitats at altitudes of up to 550 m (1,800 ft). [1]
The gray tree rat is nocturnal and spends most of its time in trees and bushes, [3] feeding mainly on fruit. [4]
L. canus is a common species, tolerant of disturbance to its habitat and able to live in secondary forest and rubber plantations. It is present in several protected areas including Gunung Palung National Park and Mount Kinabalu National Park. No particular threats have been recognised and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]
Euryoryzomys nitidus, also known as the elegant oryzomys or elegant rice rat, is a rodent species in the family Cricetidae. Previously it was known as Oryzomys nitidus, but it is not closely related to Oryzomys as that genus is now constructed. Its range includes Bolivia, Brazil and Peru to the east of the Andes, in lowland tropical rainforest as well as forest in the eastern foothills of the mountains, at elevations from 50 to 2,000 m.
Oligoryzomys flavescens, also known as the flavescent colilargo or yellow pygmy rice rat is a species of rodent in the genus Oligoryzomys of family Cricetidae. It is found in southern South America, occurring in southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina. Its karyotype has 2n = 64-66 and FNa = 66-70.
Chiropodomys is a genus of Old World rats and mice native to Southeast Asia and northeast India. They are tree-dwelling, very small mice, mostly found in tropical rainforest. In total six extant species have been identified, but only one of these, Chiropodomys gliroides, is common and widely distributed, and has been extensively studied.
Abrothrix longipilis, also known as the long-haired grass mouse or long-haired akodont, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in central and southern Argentina and Chile. The southern Chilean Abrothrix sanborni may not be distinct from this species.
The gray-bellied pencil-tailed tree mouse is a species of arboreal rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Borneo where it is known from Gunung Kinabalu and from Long Petak in northern Kalimantan (Indonesia). It probably has wider distribution than currently documented. Its natural habitat is montane tropical forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The long-tailed dwarf hamster is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia.
The Sulawesi soft-furred rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Eropeplus. It is found only in Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Mittendorf's lemniscomys or Mittendorf's striped grass mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Cameroon where it is found at high elevations on a single mountain. Its natural habitat is tropical high-altitude grassland. It faces no particular threats and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it as being of "least concern".
The Mindanao mountain rat or long-tailed moss mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in the Philippines, where it is present at high altitudes in the Kitanglad Mountain Range on the island of Mindanao.
The Ethiopian forest brush-furred rat or golden-footed brush-furred rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Ethiopia where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Blyth's vole is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is the only species in the genus Phaiomys. It is found in mountainous regions in northern India, Nepal and China. It is a burrowing rodent and lives in small colonies. It has a wide distribution and faces no particular threats so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The dark-tailed tree rat or Sundaic arboreal niviventer is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found on the Malay Peninsula, including some offshore islands, and in parts of the Malay Archipelago. It might be a species complex.
The long-tailed mountain rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Borneo and found in Indonesia and Malaysia. Recorded at elevations of 940–3,360 m (3,080–11,020 ft) above sea level, it is a poorly known species but presumably common, assumed to inhabit forests and scrubland.
Oligoryzomys destructor, also known as Tschudi's colilargo or the destructive pygmy rice rat, is a species of rodent in the genus Oligoryzomys of family Cricetidae. It is found along the eastern Andes from southern Colombia, through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia into northern Argentina. Its karyotype has 2n = 60 and FNa = 76.
The Himalayan field rat, sometimes known as the white-footed Indo-Chinese rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It has a wide range, being found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, with introduced populations in Indonesia (widely), Palau, and the Philippines. A common species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The Malayan field rat, Malaysian field rat or Malaysian wood rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is nocturnal and mainly arboreal and is found in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being of "least concern".
The black-tailed tree rat, also called black-tailed acacia rat or black-tailed thallomys,, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is both nocturnal and arboreal and makes bulky nests in the trees, often acacias, where it feeds on leaves and buds.
The lesser bamboo rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is monotypic within the genus Cannomys. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Thailand.
The Malagasy mountain mouse or Koopman's montane voalavo(Monticolomys koopmani) is a rodent within the subfamily Nesomyinae of the family Nesomyidae. It is monotypic within the genus Monticolomys, and is closely related to the big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys). It is found in the highlands of eastern Madagascar. A small mouse-like rodent, it is dark brown on the upperparts and dark gray below. It has small, rounded, densely haired ears and broad feet with well-developed pads. The long tail lacks a tuft at the tip. The skull is delicate and lacks crests and ridges on its roof.
The short-tailed Talaud mosaic-tailed rat or the short-tailed Talaud melomys is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Karakelong and Salebabu in the Talaud Islands in Indonesia where it occurs in forest habitats. The long-tailed Talaud mosaic-tailed rat is also present on the islands and the shorter tail of this species means that it is likely to be mainly terrestrial whereas M. talaudium is largely arboreal.