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Sommer's Sulawesi rat | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Muridae |
Tribe: | Rattini |
Genus: | Sommeromys Musser & Durden, 2002 |
Species: | S. macrorhinos |
Binomial name | |
Sommeromys macrorhinos Musser & Durden, 2002 | |
Sommer's Sulawesi rat (Sommeromys macrorhinos) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae from Sulawesi. It is the only species in the genus Sommeromys and was described by Musser & Durden in 2002.
S. macrorhinos is known from only one specimen, AMNH 226956 (American Museum of Natural History, catalogue number 226956). This specimen was caught at 2400 m above sea level on Gunung Tokala, a mountain between the Rampi and Seko valleys in the province of Sulawesi Tengah, in primary mossy forest which was somewhat disturbed by human activities. The describers expected that the genus also occurs in other high montane forests of Sulawesi.
It is also found on Mount Gandangdewata, West Sulawesi.
On the first of August, 1973, the NAMRU team that would discover S. macrorhinos reached Gunung Tokala. Despite a heavy, cold rain, someone set some Victor rat traps and found one specimen each of Tateomys rhinogradoides and S. macrorhinos the following day. On the specimen of S. macrorhinos, a louse was found, which was also a new species, Hoplopleura sommeri .
Sommer's Sulawesi rat was named after Helmut G. Sommer, Scientific Technician at the American Museum of Natural History.
Sommer's Sulawesi rat is extremely small and has a long muzzle and an extremely long tail, both absolutely and relatively. It mainly feeds on insects. The stomach of the only known specimen contained some nematodes, fly eggs, and fragments of insects. Species of Bunomys , Paruromys , and Taeromys do not share the diagnostic characteristics of Sommeromys and are larger. Haeromys species are smaller (head-body 62–78 mm, tail up to 133 mm). Lenomys and Eropeplus species are much bigger (up to 301 and 255 mm, respectively), and have a tail which is as long as head-body ( Lenomys ) or somewhat longer ( Eropeplus ). Margaretamys species are somewhat larger (96–197 mm). Echiothrix is much larger (up to 225 mm), has a prolonged muzzle and prolonged rostra and a bicolored tail (up to 258 mm). Melasmothrix has a dark chestnut fur, a short tail and paws and long claws. Tateomys rhinogradoides is larger, with a dark, brownish grey pelage, robust hind feet, and a long tail. T. macrocercus is smaller than T. rhinogradoides, has a similar fur colour, but has an extremely long tail, long hind feet and narrow but long claws on the hind feet. Crunomys celebensis has a shorter and broader rostrum.
Measurements (all in mm):
Head-body length | 99 |
Tail length | 186 |
Length of hind feet | 31 |
Length of ear | 16 |
According to the discoverers, S. macrorhinos is a member of the so-called "Old Endemics " of Sulawesi and the Philippines. It is especially related to Crunomys , which lives on both Sulawesi and the Philippines and the Philippine Archboldomys . The Melasmothrix - Tateomys group may also be related.
The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. Members of this subfamily are called murines. In terms of species richness, this subfamily is larger than all mammal families except the Cricetidae and Muridae, and is larger than all mammal orders except the bats and the remainder of the rodents.
Tateomys is a genus of rodent from Sulawesi. Both species have been classified as vulnerable by IUCN. It includes the following species:
The Luzon montane forest mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae, from the genus Apomys. It occurs only in the Philippines, where it has been found on the large northern island Luzon. It is most closely related to the large Mindoro forest mouse, which occurs on Mindoro. There may be another related species in the Sierra Madre, but this species is yet undescribed. The Luzon montane forest mouse is a relatively large, ground-dwelling rat with a tail that is quite short for its genus.
The large Mindoro forest mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae, from the genus Apomys. It is found only in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is a large mouse with large feet, a long tail and an elongated snout which is morphologically unique within its genus. It is covered in soft fur which is mostly dark brown in colour. Its closest relative is thought to be the Luzon montane forest mouse, based on genetic and morphological similarities.
Archboldomys, the shrew-mice, are a genus of rodents in the family Muridae. They are carnivores that feed on invertebrates much like shrews do. An apparently smaller relatives of the true shrew-rats Chrotomys and Rhynchomys, Archboldomys are somewhat convergent to the more distantly related Crunomys.
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.
Lenomys is a genus of rodent endemic to Sulawesi. It contains the living trefoil-toothed giant rat (Lenomys meyeri) and the extinct Lenomys grovesi.
The gray tree rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. only species in the 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 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.
The Sulawesian shrew rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Melasmothrix. It is found only in central Sulawesi, Indonesia, and is known from the localities of Rano Rano and Mount Nokilalaki.
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.
Oligoryzomys victus, also known as the St. Vincent colilargo or St. Vincent pygmy rice rat, is a species of rodent in the genus Oligoryzomys of the oryzomyine tribe. Only one specimen is known, which was collected on Saint Vincent in the Lesser Antilles in about 1892, and it is now presumed extinct.
The Ugi naked-tailed rat is a poorly known and possibly extinct species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is known from a single specimen collected on Ugi Island in the Solomon Islands.
Tate's shrew rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in central Sulawesi, Indonesia, where it has been recorded on Mount Latimodjong, Mount Tokala, and Mount Nokilalaki. The species is named after American zoologist George Henry Hamilton Tate.
A shrew rat or shrew-rat is not a true rat but a rodent that resembles a shrew in physical form and, presumably, lifestyle. There are twelve known species distributed across seven known genera, all from island southeast Asia, specifically the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and several islands of the Philippines:
Guy Graham Musser was an American zoologist. His main research was in the field of the rodent subfamily Murinae, in which he has described many new species.
Paucidentomys is a genus of rodents of a type commonly known as shrew-rats which was discovered in 2012 in a remote rainforest on the Indonesian island, Sulawesi. The genus is monotypic, consisting of the species Paucidentomys vermidax, or the edented Sulawesi rat. The Latin name may also be translated to its other common name "few-toothed worm-eating rat", referring to the fact that they have only two teeth and may live exclusively on a diet of earthworms.
Christine's margareta rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi, in a mountainous part of the southeastern peninsula. It was first discovered by an expedition led by Alessio Mortelliti in 2011.
Soricomys, the shrew-mice, are a genus of rodents in the family Muridae. They are carnivores that feed on invertebrates much like shrews do. An apparently smaller relatives of the true shrew-rats Chrotomys and Rhynchomys, Soricomys are somewhat convergent to the more distantly related Crunomys.