Indian gerbil | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Muridae |
Genus: | Tatera Lataste, 1882 |
Species: | T. indica |
Binomial name | |
Tatera indica (Hardwicke, 1807) | |
The Indian gerbil (Tatera indica) also known as antelope rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in western and southern Asia, from Syria east through to Bangladesh. [2]
It is the only species in the genus Tatera. Members of the genus Gerbilliscus have, historically, been placed in Tatera.
Head and body length is 17–20 cm. Tail is 20–21 cm. Dorsal surface including entire head is light brown or light brown with rusty wash. Underparts are white. Tail fully furred, dark blackish brown with grayish sides and prominent black tuft on tip. Fur on body soft, sparse underneath; tail fur is longer. Eyes are large and prominent. Bounding gait is distinguished when running. [3]
Both the sexes of this species lives apart. The relation between male and female gerbils is not known yet. [4]
Omnivorous. Known to eat grains, seeds, plants, roots, insects, reptiles and even small birds and mammals it can catch. [3]
The purple-faced langur, also known as the purple-faced leaf monkey, is a species of Old World monkey that is endemic to Sri Lanka. The animal is a long-tailed arboreal species, identified by a mostly brown appearance, dark face and a very shy nature. The species was once highly prevalent, found in suburban Colombo and the "wet zone" villages, but rapid urbanization has led to a significant decrease in the population level of the monkeys. It had traditionally been classified within the genus Trachypithecus but was moved to the genus Semnopithecus based on DNA evidence indicating that is it more closely related to the gray langurs.
The grizzled giant squirrel is a large tree squirrel in the genus Ratufa found in the highlands of the Central and Uva provinces of Sri Lanka, and in patches of riparian forest along the Kaveri River and in the hill forests of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states of southern India. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as near threatened due to habitat loss and hunting.
The Indian brown mongoose or brown mongoose is a mongoose species native to the Western Ghats in India and the western coast in Sri Lanka and introduced to Fiji. It is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.
Travancore flying squirrel is a flying squirrel found in Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats of South India. Travancore flying squirrels were thought to be extinct but were rediscovered in 1989 after a gap of 100 years in Kerala. It was rediscovered in Sri Lanka after 78 years. The animals were reported only in wet and intermediate zones of the island, and had a few sightings in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
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. It can grow to about 12–18 inch 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.
Blanford's rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Madromys. It is found throughout India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
The hairy-footed gerbil is a species of rodent found in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, temperate shrubland, hot deserts, sandy shores, and urban areas. All members of this genus have hair on the soles of their feet, hence the name. They prefer sandy soil or sandy alluvium with grass, scrub or light woodland cover.
The Indian bush rat is a rodent species in the family Muridae. It is the only extant member of the genus Golunda, and is the only extant member of the tribe Arvicanthini found outside of Africa.
The little Indian field mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
The Ceylon spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Sri Lanka, where it is known as ශ්රී ලංකා කටු හීන් මීයා in Sinhala language.
The Nillu rat or Sri Lankan mountain rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Sri Lanka where it is known as நில்ளு எலி in Tamil and නෙලූ මීයා(Nelu Meeya) in Sinhalese.
The Ohiya rat, or Sri Lanka bi-colored rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Srilankamys. It is found only in Sri Lanka where it is known locally as ශ්රී ලංකා දෙපැහැ මීයා in Sinhala.
Nolthenius's long-tailed climbing mouse, also known as Sri Lanka highland tree mouse or Podi-gas-miya, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. The species is endemic to the highlands of Sri Lanka. It is a nocturnal arboreal mouse, which is named after A. C. Tutein-Nolthenius, an amateur zoologist who collected the first specimens in 1929.