Taeromys hamatus

787.

Sulawesi Montane Rat

Taeromys hamatus

French: Rat-laineux de Miller / German: Berg-Sulawesi-Ratte / Spanish: Rata de montana de Célebes

Other common names: Central Mountain Taeromys

Taxonomy. Rattus hamatus G. S. Miller & Hollister, 1921,

Gunung Lehio, 6000 ft (1830 m), central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Taeromys hamatus is probably closest to 1. taerae. Monotypic.

Distribution. C Sulawesi.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 180-213 mm, tail 177-205 mm, ear 24-25 mm, hindfoot 40-46 mm; weight 145-220 g. The Sulawesi Montane Rat is small to medium-sized, similar to the Salokko Rat (T: arcuatus). Pelage is soft and dense, with short dark guard hairs. Dorsum is dark gray, speckled with buff. Venter is buffy gray. Hairs have gray bases and yellowish bufftips. Feet are dusky dorsally, with white digits. Ears are rounded and dark; vibrissae are long. Tail is 97% of head—body length, black on basal one-half, and white on distal one-half Skull is small, with long rostrum. There are three pairs of mammae: one post-axillary and two inguinal.

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Habitat. [Lower and upper montane rainforests at elevations of 1280-2287 m.

Food and Feeding. The Sulawesi Montane Rat eats fruit.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Sulawesi Montane Ratis terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Sulawesi Montane Rat has a fairly wide distribution, butit is probably threatened by deforestation from logging and agricultural expansion. It is found in Lore Lindu National Park. Research is needed to fully understand its natural history, taxonomy, and conservation threats.

Bibliography. Breed & Musser (1991), Corbet & Hill (1992), Fabre et al. (2013), Maryanto et al. (2009), Miller & Hollister (1921), Musser (2014), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Ruedas (2008g).