Paramelomys platyops

291.

Common Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat

Paramelomys platyops

French: Mélomys des plaines / German: Gemeine Tiefland-Mosaikschwanzratte / Spanish: Rata de cola moteada de tierras bajas comun

Other common names: Common Lowland Paramelomys, Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat

Taxonomy. Uromys platyops Thomas, 1906,

“Head of Aroa River, S.E. British New Guinea [= Central Province, Papua New Guinea.”

Paramelomys platyops, initially described in genus Uromys, was transferred to Melomys (subgenus Paramelomys) by H. Rimmler in 1936, but a revision byJ. I. Menzies in 1996 resurrected Paramelomys as a valid full genus and provided a new diagnosis for the species. According to Menzies, P. platyops

belongs to a group of smaller species that includes also P. rubex and P. steini. Recent molecular phylogeny by P. Smissen and K. C. Rowe, in H. J. McLennan and colleagues’ 2017 analysis, found P. platyops to be sister taxon of P. rubex. The extensive range of P. platyops suggests that it may represent a species complex; no subspecies have been defined, but urgent revision needed. Currently treated as monotypic.

Distribution. Present in most of mainland New Guinea, as well as a number ofislands in the Raja Ampat Is (Batanta), Cenderawasih (= Geelvink) Bay (Yapen and Biak), and the Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain) and D’Entrecasteaux Is (Goodenough, Fergusson, and Normanby).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 130-155 mm, tail 105-125 mm, ear 15-19 mm, hindfoot 27-29 mm; weight 65-102 g. The Common Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat has a silvergray dense dorsal pelage and a paler gray ventral one. The naked tail is grayish black; it is shorter than head-body length, and there is one hair per tail scale. Females bear two pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Disturbed habitats in lowland forest, from sea level to 1200 m.

Food and Feeding. Common Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rats feed on insects.

Breeding. A female was caught with a single young.

Activity patterns. The Common Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat is terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Individuals have been observed foraging on ground litter and also in small trees less than 2 m high.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Common Lowland Mosaic-tailed Rat is widespread and adapts to anthropogenic habitats. It is reasonably common in many parts ofits range.

Bibliography. Flannery (1995b), Menzies (1996), McLennan et al. (2017), Rummler (1936).