Rattus morotaiensis Kellogg 1945

• Main Authors: Wilson, Don E., Reeder, DeeAnn
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: The Johns Hopkins University Press 2005
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Rodentia; Muridae; Rattus; Rattus morotaiensis; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11335516; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/F7D6B90D24CB028E8AE92A1317D8535E

Rattus morotaiensis Kellogg 1945 Rattus morotaiensis Kellogg 1945, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 58: 66. Type Locality: Indonesia, Moluccas, Pulau Morotai, off N coast of Pulau Halmahera. Vernacular Names: Halmahara Rat. Distribution: Endemic to the Halmahara Isls; recorded from Morotai, Halmahara, and Batjan Isls (Flannery, 1995 b ). Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc). Discussion: Rattus species-group unresolved. Arboreal, and the only recorded murine endemic to the Halmahara Isls. Kellogg (1945) regarded R. morotaiensis to be more closely related to the New Guinea species (" R. ringens group") than to Sundaic species (" Rattus rajah group"), but morphology of the Halmahara rat indicates otherwise (K. Aplin, in litt., 2004). It is characterized by a suite of distinctive external traits (very spiny fur, long slightly tufted tail), cranial conformation, and molar structure (posterior cingula on upper molars, large peg-like anterolabial and anterolingual cusps on m1, wide cingular margins on m2, and crenulated enamel on all molars) not found in any other species of Rattus from New Guinea, the Moluccas, or anywhere else (Musser and Holden, ms). Reviewed by Flannery (1995 b ). Published as part of Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Muridae, pp. 1189-1531 in Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore :The Johns Hopkins University Press on page 1476, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7316535