Rattus verecundus

• 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 verecundus; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6869005; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E30E27534D5FF64E1832E2C73AD895C

716. New Guinea Slender Rat Rattus verecundus French: Rat discret / German: Schlanke Neuguinea-Ratte / Spanish: Rata de Nueva Guinea esbelta Other common names: Slender Rat Taxonomy. Mus verecundus Thomas, 1904, “Avera, Aroa River [Central Province], British New Guinea [= Papua New Guin- eal.” Rattus verecundus is part of a clade includ- ing the other Recent New Guinea native species of Rattus. It previously included R. vandeuseni, but it is recognized as a distinct species here until further research is conducted. It probably represents a complex of three distinct species as it is currently defined. Three subspecies recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. R.v.verecundusThomas,1904—SENewGuinea. R.v.mollisRummler,1935—C&ENewGuinea. R. v. unicolor Rimmler, 1935 — W New Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 123-168 mm (males) and 146-165 mm (females), tail 143-170 mm (males) and 143-171 mm (females), ear 14-6-19-5 mm (males) and 18:1-20-4 mm (females), hindfoot 31:2-33-5 mm (males) and 30-6-34-5 mm (females); weight 88-118 g (males) 100-133 g (females). The New Guinea Slender Ratis small and unique, with relatively long, shiny, smooth, and soft pelage, typically without any spines; nominal subspecies usually has fine small spines throughout dorsal pelage. Dorsum is medium to dark brown, even up to blackish brown. Juveniles have darker and less rufous dorsal pelage and grayer ventral pelage without spines. Venteris light to dark gray, tinged with rust or yellow and is not sharply demarcated from dorsal pelage. White pectoral marking is common. Feet are long and narrow, being white or white mixed with brown hair dorsally and mid-dorsally, respectively. Ears are relatively inconspicuous and dark brown; vibrissae are relatively short. Tail is equal to or longer than head-body length (c.105 mm on average) and dark brown, usually with white tip varying in size, although this is not present in all individuals. Skull is smooth in contour and has large cranium in proportion to size of rostrum. Subspecies mollis is the ...