Pseudohydromys patriciae K. M. Helgen & L. E. Helgen 2009

312.

Woolley’s Moss Mouse

Pseudohydromys patriciae

French: Souris-musaraigne de Patricia / German: \Woolley-Moosmaus / Spanish: Ratén de musgo de Woolley

Taxonomy. Pseudohydromys patriciae K. M. Helgen & L. E. Helgen, 2009,

“Porokma, (ca. 04°00’S, 138°43’E, Papua Province, Indonesia...), 2800 m, near [Lake Habbema in the Snow Mountains of western New Guinea.” K. M. Helgen and L. E. Helgen considered P. patriciae to be taxonomically isolated within Pseudohydromys. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from vicinity of [Lake Habbema, at 2800 m in the Snow (= Sudirman) Mts of New Guinea.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 99-100 mm, tail 85-86 mm, ear 11-6—12 mm, hindfoot 20-21 mm; weight 20-5-24 g. Genus Pseudohydromys is a taxonomically diverse group of small-bodied murines characterized by dense, velvety to plush fur; a variably narrowed and flattened head with small eyes and ears; head generally without contrasting pattern; vibrissae fine and elongate, extending past ears; eyes small to minute; narrow hindfeet, lacking webbing between digits and with claws on all digits; tail narrow and thinly furred, approximating to combined length of head and body; mammae (when known) two on each side, both inguinal; cranium delicately built, with small molars reduced in number to two or fewer per quadrant. Woolley’s Moss Mouse is a mediumsized member of the genus; fur is thick (8-10 mm) and less velvety than that of many congeners; upperparts are pale brownish gray, underparts smoky gray with irregular, pure white patches down midline; chin and lowersides of face pale gray; vibrissae fine and moderately elongate, extending just past the ears; eyes very small; ears small and dark gray; upper surfaces of feet pigmented gray, with fine silvery hairs;tail relatively short (averaging 86% of head-body length), relatively pale and mottled for most of

length, but lacking white tip. Two molars per quadrant, proportionally smaller than in most congeners. Mammae recorded on single known female as one perside, inguinal in position; if confirmed, this would be unique within the genus.

Habitat. Recorded only from primary evergreen tropical upper montane rainforest.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The habitats of the Snow Mountains are largely above the elevationallimits of traditional subsistence agriculture, but they are vulnerable to the impacts of drought and anthropogenic firing. In places, these high-elevation environments are also potentially impacted by resource-development projects.

Bibliography. Engelbrektsson & Kennerley (2016b), Flannery (1995b), Helgen & Helgen (2009), Jackson & Woolley (1993), Menzies & Dennis (1979), Musser & Carleton (1993, 2005).