Rattus elaphinus Sody 1941

• Main Authors: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2017
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Rodentia; Muridae; Rattus; Rattus elaphinus; Rata; Buff; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6828306; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6828306

694. Sula Archipelago Rat Rattus elaphinus French: Rat des Sula / German: Sula-Ratte / Spanish: Rata de Soela Other common names: Sula Rat Taxonomy. Rattus elaphinus Sody, 1941, “Taliabu (plains), Soela islands, E. of Celebes [= Sulawesi|,” Indonesia. This species is monotypic. Distribution. Taliabu and Mangole Is, Sula Archipelago, Indonesia. Descriptive notes. Head-body 128215 mm, tail 154-201 mm, ear 1822.5 mm, hindfoot 34-38 mm; weight 123-197 g. The Sula Archipelago Rat is medium-sized, with buff soft fur, buff grayish on belly and rufous-buff on back. It has dark tail 93-102% of head-body length and short hindfeet in proportion to head-body length. Palatal bridge extends beyond M’ as inseveral other species of Rattus, postorbital ridge is slightly developed; temporal ridge is also developed toward back of skull; laterally, top of skull is nearly flat (slightly bowed) between nasal and occipital; zygomatic arch is laterally well upon level of upper molar row; posterior palatine foramina is placed in between M* and M” orat front level of M?; jugular process is moderately developed; in palatal view, squamosal root of zygomatic arch position usually does not overlap with anterior part of tympanic bulla; in palatal view, zygomatic root of zygomatic arch overlaps at the level of M'; eustachian tube is short; post-glenoid vacuity is not fused with middle lacerate foramen in most specimens; basisphenoid seemsto be suspended in spheno-palatine vacuity; posteriorly, incisive foramina reach M' and are wide and long; there four pairs of mammae (one pectoral, one post-axillary, and two inguinal); angular process reaches or slightly extends beyond posterior part ofarticulation condyle and is well-developed; incisors are orange and opisthodont or orthodont; incisor bladeis wide, with size equal or superior to its longest basal width; cusp t7 is absent on M'; postererocone is absent on M' or rarely forms slight bulge; cusp t3 is present on M? but is absent on M? in all observed specimens; tl bis is absent on M'; cusp tl ...