Hoary bamboo rat

Last updated

Hoary bamboo rat
Rhizomys pruinosus - Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology - DSC02462.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Spalacidae
Genus: Rhizomys
Species:
R. pruinosus
Binomial name
Rhizomys pruinosus
Blyth, 1851
Range Rhizomys pruinosus.png

The hoary bamboo rat (Rhizomys pruinosus) is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae found in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam), East Asia (China) and South Asia (India).[ citation needed ]

Contents

Description

Rhizomys pruinosus Keulemans.jpg

The hoary bamboo rat is a robust rodent that reaches a head-and-body length of 240 to 345 mm (9 to 14 in) with a tail of 90 to 130 mm (4 to 5 in). Its weight ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 g (53 to 88 oz). The fur on the upper parts is greyish-brown or dark brown with a somewhat grizzled appearance due to the presence of white-tipped guard hairs. The under parts are paler greyish-brown and the tail is scantily haired. The skull is broad and somewhat flattened and the zygomatic arch is large. The upper incisors slope inwards and the broad molars are an orange colour. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The hoary bamboo rat has a wide range which includes northern and north-eastern India, eastern Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, and southern China. It occurs from low ground to altitudes of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) above sea level. It occurs in a variety of habitats including coniferous and mixed woodland, secondary forest, shrubby land bordering woodland, plantations, and bamboo thickets. It is generally absent from dense forests and from cultivated land. [1]

Behaviour

This rat is nocturnal and lives alone in a simple burrow, which has a single entrance marked by a mound, an escape exit, a nest chamber, and latrine chamber. The nest is lined with dried grasses and shreds of bamboo. The bamboo rat emerges at night to forage for plant material, mostly feeding on the stems and roots of bamboos and beard grass. Breeding may take place all year round, but it peaks in November/December and March/June. At these times, a male bamboo rat moves into the burrow of a female. The gestation period is about 22 days and the litter size is usually between one and five. Weaning takes place when the young are about two or two and a half months. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Rattus</i> Genus of rodents

Rattus is a genus of muroid rodents, all typically called rats. However, the term rat can also be applied to rodent species outside of this genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhizomyinae</span> Subfamily of rodents

The rodent subfamily Rhizomyinae includes the Asian bamboo rats and certain of the African mole-rats. The subfamily is grouped with the Spalacinae and the Myospalacinae into a family of fossorial muroid rodents basal to the other Muroidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bamboo rat</span> Tribe of rodents

The bamboo rats are four species of rodents of the subfamily Rhizomyinae. They are the sole living representatives of the tribe Rhizomyini. These species are found in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spalacidae</span> Family of rodents

The Spalacidae, or spalacids, are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. They are native to eastern Asia, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and southeastern Europe. It includes the blind mole-rats, bamboo rats, mole-rats, and zokors. This family represents the oldest split in the muroid superfamily, and comprises animals adapted to a subterranean way of life. These rodents were thought to have evolved adaptations to living underground independently until recent genetic studies demonstrated they form a monophyletic group. Members of the Spalacidae are often placed in the family Muridae along with all other members of the Muroidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siberian weasel</span> Species of carnivore

The Siberian weasel or kolonok, is a medium-sized weasel native to Asia, where it is widely distributed and inhabits various forest habitats and open areas. It is therefore listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern birch mouse</span> Species of rodent

The northern birch mouse is a small rodent about 5 to 8 cm long, weighing 5 to 13 g. It lives in northern Europe and Asia in forest and marsh zones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater bandicoot rat</span> Species of rodent

The greater bandicoot rat or Indian bandicoot rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam[Pakistan]. It can grow to about 27–29 cm without including the tail which can grow to 28 cm. These should not be confused with marsupial bandicoots which inhabit Australia and neighbouring New Guinea, which were named after the bandicota rats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indomalayan pencil-tailed tree mouse</span> Species of rodent

The Indomalayan pencil-tailed tree mouse or simply pencil-tailed tree mouse is a species of arboreal rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in northeastern India, southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, and Indonesia. This locally abundant but patchily distributed species occurs in primary and secondary forests, without affinity to particular forest types. It can suffer from deforestation and is sometimes harvested for consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-tailed bandicoot rat</span> Species of rodent

The short-tailed bandicoot rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. Other common names include short-tailed mole-rat, Indian bandicoot, bandicoot-rat, flat-tooth rat and short-tailed nesokia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himalayan field rat</span> Species of rodent

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-throated partridge</span> Species of bird

The rufous-throated partridge is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in montane forests in India and Southeast Asia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a least-concern species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian barred owlet</span> Species of owl

The Asian Barred Owlet also known as the Cuckoo owlet is a species of pygmy owl native to the forests and shrublands of mainland Southeast Asia to the foothills of the Himalayas of northern Pakistan. It is a smaller owl, measuring 22–25 cm (8.7–9.8 in) making it one of the larger pygmy owls. They are primarily insectivorous but will eat lizards, small rodents and birds as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed piculet</span> Species of bird

The white-browed piculet is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser bamboo rat</span> Species of rodent

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.

<i>Rhizomys</i> Genus of rodents

Rhizomys, also known as bamboo rat, is a genus of rodents in the family Spalacidae. Rhizomys are all stocky burrowers with short, naked tails, and contains the following species:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese bamboo rat</span> Species of rodent

The Chinese bamboo rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae found in southern China, northern Myanmar, and northern Vietnam. Its habitat is bamboo thickets usually at high elevations, pine forests, and plantations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large bamboo rat</span> Species of rodent

The large bamboo rat, Sumatran rat, or Indomalayan rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae found in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is one of four species of bamboo rat. Individuals can reach lengths of nearly 50 cm (20 in) with a 20 cm (7.9 in) tail, and weigh up to 4 kilograms (8.8 lb).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian gray shrew</span> Species of mammal

The Asian gray shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is one of the commonest species within its range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese goral</span> Species of mammal

The Chinese goral, also known as the grey long-tailed goral or central Chinese goral, is a species of goral, a small goat-like ungulate, native to mountainous regions of Myanmar, China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and possibly Laos. In some parts of its range, it is overhunted. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it as a "vulnerable species".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-tailed laughingthrush</span> Species of bird

The red-tailed laughingthrush is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae.

References

  1. 1 2 Aplin, K.; Lunde, D. & Molur, S. (2008). "Rhizomys pruinosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008. Retrieved 2014-09-30. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.
  2. 1 2 Andrew T. Smith; Yan Xie (2008). A guide to the mammals of China. Princeton University Press. p. 213. ISBN   978-0-691-09984-2.