Indian gerbil | |
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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.
The ruddy mongoose is a mongoose species native to hill forests in India and Sri Lanka.
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 Asiatic yellow bat is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
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.
Blanford's rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Madromys. Known as වලිග සුදු වන මීයා in Sinhala language. It is found throughout India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
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.
Boehm's gerbil is a species of rodent found in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, and arable land. This is a common species with a wide distribution which faces no obvious threats, so in 2004 the International Union for Conservation of Nature rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
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.
Layard's palm squirrel or flame-striped jungle squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae endemic to Sri Lanka. The validity of the subspecies F. l. dravidianus based on a single specimen from the southern tip of India has been questioned, and is probably a juvenile F. sublineatus. Known as මූකලන් ලේනා in Sinhala.
The Indian giant flying squirrel, also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane stretched between front and hind legs. It is found in mainland Southeast and South Asia, and southern and central China.
Pearson's long-clawed shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is the only species within the genus Solisorex. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and lowland grasslands. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is named after Joseph Pearson FRSE, Director of the Columbo Museum 1910-1933 who found it on 1 January 1924.
The Sri Lankan shrew, also called Gordon's pygmy shrew, is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is known as හික් මීයා in Sinhala. It was named after the wife of A. C. Tutein-Nolthenius, Marjory née Fellowes-Gordon, who collected specimens of the shrew and provided them to Phillips.