Vandeleuria oleraceus

505.

Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse

503.

Nilgiri Long-tailed

Climbing Mouse

Vandeleuria oleraceus

Vandeleuria nilagiricus

French: Vandeleuria dAsie / German: Asiatische Langschwanzklettermaus / Spanish: Raton trepador de cola larga de Indomalasia Other common names: Asiatic Long-tailed Climbing Mouse, Indomalayan Vandeleuria Taxonomy. Mus oleraceaus Bennett, 1832,

French: Vandeleuria des Nilgiri / German: Nilgiri-Langschwanzklettermaus / Spanish: Raton trepador de cola larga de Nilgiri

Other common names: Nilgiri Long-tailed Tree Mouse, Nilgiri Vandeleuria

Taxonomy. Mus nilagiricus Jerdon, 1867,

Ootacamund, Nilgiri Hills, eastern Tamil Nadu, south-western India.

Deccan region, Madras, India. Genus Vandeleuria is masculine, so widely used specific name oleracea has been changed for gender agreement. Vandeleuria oleraceusis possibly a composite of species. Polytypic, but subspecific taxonomy requires reassessment.Distribution. Widespread in S Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lan-ka), S China (W & S Yunnan), and mainland SE Asia N of the Isthmus of Kra.Descriptive notes. Head-body 68 mm, tail 105 mm, ear 13 mm, hindfoot 17 mm; weight 10 g. The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse is small, with flat nail on outer finger and outertoe; tail is slender, brown, twice as long as head-body length, and lacks distal tuft. Dorsal pelageis silky and salmon in color; venter is white, with fulvous hues. Habitat. Tall cane and tangled vines in primary and secondary forest such as bamboo forest, moist deciduous forest, temperate forests, montane wet zone, and disturbed secondary forests, and perhaps agricultural areas at elevations of 150-1500 m. Food and Feeding. Indomalayan [Long-tailed Climbing Mice eat fruits, buds, and flowers. Breeding. Litters of the Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse have 3-6 young. Activity patterns. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice are arboreal and nocturnal, although one individual was caught duringthe day. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice build nests in tall bushes or cane to rear their young. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Last (as V. olacea). The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse occurs in several habitats and a wide distribution that includes national parks. Further taxonomical studies are required to assess conservation status ofthis potentially diverse species complex. Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Dang Huy Huynh et al. (1994), Ellerman (1941), Marshall (1977b), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1932), Phillips (1980), Wang Yingxiang (2003).

Genus Vandeleuria is formed from a word that is neither Latin nor Greek and was originally combined with a masculine adjectival epithet (oleraceus), and thus is masculine. For this reason widely used specific name nilagirica has been changed for gen-der agreement. Monotypic.

Distribution. S Western Ghats, SW India;it

might be present N ofits known range in similar habitats.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 105 mm, tail 142 mm, hindfoot 21 mm. Nospecific data are available for body weight. The Nilgiri Long-tailed Climbing Mouse is small, with flat nail, not pointed claw, on outer finger and outer toe; venter is white, with grayish underfur; and tail is slender and twice longer thanhead-body length. Skull is short and broad; rostrum is short; and molars are squarish and upper molars have a seventh cusp (t7). There are four pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Primary lowland forests and undisturbed plantations of banana and coffee near native forest.

Food and Feeding. The Nilgiri Long-tailed Climbing Mouse is probably herbivorous.

Breeding. Nilgiri Long-tailed Climbing Mice nest in pairs in October-February. Nests are abandoned when young leave.

Activity patterns. The Nilgiri Long-tailed Climbing Mouse is probably nocturnal and arboreal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Nilgiri Long-tailed Climbing Mice shelter in tree holes and shallow nests high up in trees outside breeding period.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List (as V. nilagirica). Human disturbance and use ofpesticides and herbicides are important conservation threats to the Nilgiri Long-tailed Climbing Mouse. It does not occur in national areas and seems to be mainly present in disturbed habitats. It is listed as a pest under Schedule V of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Jerdon (1867), Molur et al. (2005), Musser & Carleton (2005)