Moonrat

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Moonrat [1]
Haarigel (Echinosorex gymnura).jpg
Echinosorex gymnura Harvard.jpg
Museum specimens of the two moonrat subspecies:

E. g. gymnura (above)
E. g. alba (below)

Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Erinaceidae
Subfamily: Galericinae
Genus: Echinosorex
Blainville, 1838
Species:
E. gymnura
Binomial name
Echinosorex gymnura
(Raffles, 1822)
Greater Moonrat area.png
Moonrat range

The moonrat (Echinosorex gymnura) is a southeast Asian species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae (the hedgehogs and gymnures). It is the only species in the genus Echinosorex. The moonrat is a fairly small, primarily carnivorous animal which, despite its name, is not closely related to rats or other rodents. The scientific name is sometimes given as Echinosorex gymnurus, but this is incorrect. [1]

Contents

Description

The moonrat has a distinct pungent odor with strong ammonia content, different from the musky smell of carnivorans. [3] There are two subspecies: E. g. gymnura is found in Sumatra and the Thai-Malay Peninsula; E. g. alba is found in Borneo. [4] In the former the head and frontal half of the body are white or grey-white; the remaining is mainly black. [5] The latter subspecies is generally white (alba means white in Latin), with a sparse scattering of black hairs; it appears totally white from a distance. Those from western Borneo tend to have a greater proportion of black hairs than those from the east, but animals from Brunei appear intermediate. [4] Largely white E. g. gymnura also occur, but they are rare. [5]

Head and body length is 32–40 cm (13–16 in), tail length is 20–29 cm (7.9–11.4 in), [6] hind foot length is 6.5–7.5 cm (2.6–3.0 in) and weight is 870–1,100 g (1.92–2.43 lb). [5] The dental formula is 3.1.4.33.1.4.3 × 2 = 44. [4] It is possibly the largest member of the order Erinaceomorpha, although the European hedgehog likely weighs a bit more at 1,000 g (2.2 lb) and up to 2,000 g (4.4 lb). [7]

Ecology and habitat

Moonrats are nocturnal and terrestrial, lying up under logs, roots or in abandoned burrows during the day. They inhabit moist forests including mangrove and swamp forests and often enter water. [2] [5] In Borneo, they occur mainly in forests, but in peninsular Malaysia they are also found in gardens and plantations. They feed on earthworms and various small animals, mostly arthropods. The moonrat is a host of the acanthocephalan intestinal parasite Moniliformis echinosorexi . [8]

Lifespan

The lifespan of the moonrat is up to five years. [9]

Conservation status

The moonrat is not considered a threatened species. The main threat to the moonrat is deforestation activities due to human development for agriculture, plantation, and commercial logging. Moreover, other demands from Penan in Borneo for food and traditional medicinal contribute to decreasing numbers of moonrats in Borneo. [10] The species is also found in protected areas, including Matang National Park and Kuching Wetlands National Park. Its IUCN status is Least Concern. [2]

Economic importance

The Penan in Borneo used to trade moonrat meat for other foods and goods among themselves and for money. [9] [ dead link ]

In culture

In Thailand, moonrat is known as nhoo muen (Thai : หนูเหม็น, pronounced [nǔːmɯ̂an] , lit. 'smelly rat'). The name refers to its rat-like appearance and the strong odor of its body, reminiscent of ammonia. Traditionally, it is believed that the bones of the moonrat can be used to protect against black magic, sorcery, and love charms. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 Hutterer, R. (2005). "Order Erinaceomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 218. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 3 Cassola, F. (2016). "Echinosorex gymnura". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T40603A22326807. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40603A22326807.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  3. ↑ Moonrat at the Encyclopædia Britannica
  4. 1 2 3 Payne, J. and Francis, C. M. 2005. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo. Sabah society, Malaysia ISBN   9679994716.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Francis, C.M. (2008). A field guide to the mammals of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. p. 176. ISBN   978-1-84537-735-9 . Retrieved 2011-04-06.
  6. ↑ Shepherd, Chris R.; Shepherd, Loretta Ann (2012). A Naturalist's Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia. Wiltshire, UK: John Beaufoy Publishing. p. 14. ISBN   978-1-906780-71-5.
  7. ↑ Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats . Guinness Superlatives. ISBN   978-0-85112-235-9.
  8. ↑ Deveaux, Timothy P.; Schmidt, Gerald D.; Krishnasamy, M. (1988). "Two New Species of Moniliformis (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae) from Malaysia". The Journal of Parasitology. 74 (2): 322–5. doi:10.2307/3282462. JSTOR   3282462. PMID   3128654.
  9. 1 2 The Leading America Zoo Site on the Net. americazoo.com. Retrieved on 2012-12-19. Archived January 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ "Gymnures and hedgehogs". The Website of Everything. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
  11. ↑ "พบสัตว์แปลกตัวคล้ายหนู หน้า-ปากเหมือนหมู" [Unusual animal discovered – mouse-sized body, pig-like face]. Sanook.com (in Thai). 2010-02-24. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
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