Rattus losea

• 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 losea; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6868933; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E30E27534C3FF71E49B2652742B854E

672. Losea Rat Rattus losea French: Rat losea / German: Kleine Reisfeldratte / Spanish: Rata de arrozal menor Other common names: Lesser Ricefield Rat Taxonomy. Mus losea Swinhoe, 1871, “For- mosa [= Taiwan].” Rattus loseais in the R. rattusspecies groups, is sister to the R. rattus clade (R. rattus, R. tanezumi, R. sakeratensis, R. tiomanicus), and is related to R. osgoodi. R. sakeratensis was originally included as a synonym of R. losea, but following phylogenetic studies, populations in northern Thailand and Laos have been allocated to R. sakeratensis. Specific identity of a population in Penin- sular Thailand and Malaysia is uncertain but is included in R.losea until further review. There were three subspecies recently recognized (exiguus, losea, and sakeratensis) in China, but this arrangement is not followed here. Monotypic. Distribution. SC & SE China (including Hainan, Taiwan, and Penghu Is), extreme N Laos, N, C & S Vietham, W & C Cambodia, and provisionally S peninsular Thailand and extreme NW Peninsular Malaysia. Descriptive notes. Head—body 120-185 mm, tail 110-175 mm, ear 15-21 mm, hindfoot 24-32 mm; weight 22-92 g. The Losea Rat is small and very similar to but larger than the Little Indochinese Field Rat (R. sakeratensis) but much smaller than the morphologically similar Ricefield Rat (R. argentiventer). Pelage is short, soft, and dense. Dorsum is dull gray brown, with mix of pale brown and black-tipped hairs, becoming somewhat paler along sides and blending into ventral pelage. Venter is buffy brown, with gray-based hairs. Feet are whitish gray dorsally and white on sides and digits. Ears are small and light brown; vibrissae are long. Tail is 90-100% of head-body length and slightly bicolored, being brown dorsally and paler ventrally. Skull is small and stocky, with short wide rostrum and high braincase. Various ticks (Ixodes granulatus and Borrelia spirochetes), fleas, mites, trematodes (Notocotylus loeiensis), gastrointestinal helminths (at least twelve species), and blood-flukes ...