Rattus fuscipes

• 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 fuscipes; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6869009; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E30E27534D5FF63E49B27D97FA487BA

718. Australian Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes French: Rat de brousse / German: Australische SchwarzfulRratte / Spanish: Rata peluda de Australia Other common names: Allied Rat, Bush Rat; Western Swamp Rat (fuscipes), Southern Bush Rat (assimilis) Taxonomy. Mus fuscipes Waterhouse, 1839, “Australia, King George’s Sound.” Restricted by J. M. Taylor and B. E. Horner in 1973 to “ ‘Little Grove’ on Princess Royal Harbour, approx. 4 mi [= 6 km] south of Mount Melville, Albany, Western Australia, Australia.” Rattus fuscipes is sister to all other Australian Rattus except R. leucopus, which is basal to this clade. Each of the recognized subspecies is morphologically and genetically distinct; although they can interbreed, they might may represent distinct species (especially coracius) with further research. Rattus f. assimilis might represent multiple subspecies. Four subspecies recognized, but subspecific taxonomy requires reassessment. Subspecies and Distribution. R.c.fuscipesWaterhouse,1839—SWWesternAustraliaaswellasvariousoffshoreIs. R.c.asstmilisGould,1858—EVictoriaandSEQueenslandandsomeoffshoreIs. R.c.coraciusThomas,1923—NEQueensland,includingHinchinbrook I. R. c. greyi Gray, 1841 — SE South Australia and SW Victoria as well as various offshore Is including Kangaroo I. Descriptive notes. Head-body 100-205 mm, tail 100-195 mm, ear 18-25 mm, hindfoot 30-40 mm; weight 50-225 g. The Australian Bush Rat is medium-sized and highly variable, with males larger than females. Pelage is soft and dense, with coarser black guard hairs throughout. Dorsum is gray-brown to reddish brown and blends into ventral pelage. Hairs are gray and translucent basally. Some island populations have lighter and redder dorsum, while populations in more humid regions are darker. Venter is light gray to buffy cream. Feet are light colored on mainland and dusky on Kangaroo Island and in western Australia. Ears are rounded, sparsely haired, and similar in color to dorsum; vibrissae are relatively short. Tail is ¢.100% of head-body length, nearly naked, ...