Tateomys macrocercus Musser 1982

791.

Long-tailed Sulawesian Shrew Rat

Tateomys macrocercus

French: Rat a longue queue / German: Langschwanz-Sulawesi-Spitzmausratte / Spanish: Rata musarana de Célebes de cola larga

Other common names: Long-tailed Shrew Rat

Taxonomy. Tateomys macrocercus Musser, 1982

“

altitude of 7500 feet [= 2286 m] in moss forest on the southwestern slope near the summit of Gunung Nokilalaki (lat. 1°13’ S, long. 120°08" E), a high peak northeast of Danau Lindu, Province Sulawesi Tengah, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

This. species“i,is monotypic..

Distribution. Mt Nokilalaki and Mt Gandangdewata, C Sulawesi.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 110-120 mm, tail 160-173 mm, ear 18-19 mm, hind-foot 30-31 mm; weight 43-55 g. The Long-tailed Sulawesian Shrew Ratis characterized by its small body size and very long tail relative to head—body length. Forefeet and hindfeet are slender, with short and narrow claws. Rostrum is slightly elongated and narrow compared with Tate’s Sulawesian Shrew Rat (7. rhinogradoides); rounded braincase is higher relative to its breadth; distal one-third of nasal is swollen, not turned up as in Tate's Sulawesian Shrew Rat; zygomatic plate is more developed and erected compared with Tate’s Sulawesian Shrew Rat; incisive foramina is short relative to length of diastema; and dentaries are less elongated and smaller, with very reduce coronoid process. Pterygoid region is wider and less elongated compared with Tate’s Sulawesian Shrew Rat. Teeth have well-developed cusps, with emergence of lower accessory cusp on M' and potential presence of antero-central cusp on m. There are three roots for M', three for M?, and three for M’, and two roots for m, two for m,, and two for m,. There are two pair of inguinal mammae.

Habitat. High-elevation mossy montane forest habitats at elevations of 1600-2285 m.

Food and Feeding. Based on feeding trials and stomach contents, the Long-tailed Sulawesian Shrew Rat only eats earthworms.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Long-tailed Sulawesian Shrew Rat is nocturnal and likely scansorial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Very little is known about abundance and distribution of the Long-tailed Sulawesian Shrew Rat. More surveys are required for this highland Sulawesi endemic.

Bibliography. Achmadi et al. (2014), Maryanto et al. (2009), Musser (1982a), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Durden (2002), Rowe etal. (2016a).