Rattus hainaldi Kitchener, How & Maharadatunkamsi 1991

696.

Hainald’s Flores Island Rat

Rattus hainaldi

French: Rat de Hainald / German: Hainald-Ratte / Spanish: Rata de Flores de Hainald

Other common names: Hainald's Rat

Taxonomy. Rattus hainaldi Kitchener, How & Maharadatunkamsi, 1991,

Desa [Longko, 8 km SSE Ruteng, above Kampong Robo, 1300 m, Gunung Ranakah, Pulau Flores, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Flores I, Indonesia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 133 mm, tail 161 mm, ear 21 mm, hindfoot 29 mm; weight 81 g. Hainald’s Flores Island Rat has a smallbody; very long tail relative to head-body length, with bicolored pattern including whitish undersurface; orange brown dorsal pelage, speckled with dark brown; creamy white venter; chest posteriorly flecked with pale gray; and soft pelage, with long guard hairs on flanks and dorsum. Skull is small, with small incisive foramina; medium-sized bulla; low temporal and postorbital ridges; and short rostrum that is relatively broad compared with skull length.

Habitat. Primary and secondary forests at elevations of 1000-2000 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Hainald’s Flores Island Rat is probably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Hainald’s Flores Island Rat seems to be abundant in parts ofits distribution but is probably affected by mountain habitat loss and competition with introduced species such as the Pacific Rat (R. exulans) and the Roof Rat (R. rattus). Additional studies are required to properly assess its density and distribution.

Bibliography. Kitchener & Yani (1998), Kitchener, How & Maharadatunkamsi (1991).