Rattus elaphinus Sody 1941

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 of M' is well-separated from cusps t2 and t3; antero-central cusplet is absent on M; anteroand postero-labial cusplets are present onM,, and antero-labial cusplet might be absent; anteroand postero-labial cusplets are present on M,; and antero-labial cusplet on M, might disappearin older individuals.

722. Australian Pale Field Rat (Rattus tunneyi); 723. Australian Long-haired Rat (Rattus villosissimus).

Habitat. Primary and secondary lowland rainforest, nearvillages, along streams in secondary rainforest, and cocoa plantations.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Juvenile SulaArchipelago Rats were collected in September—October.

Activity patterns. The Sula Archipelago Ratis nocturnal and likely terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Taliabu [sland is damaged by human activities such as logging, and recent fires have damaged the only remaining patch of primary forest, which might negatively affect the poorly known Sula Archipelago Rat.

Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Flannery (1995a), Helgen (2003), Musser & Holden (1991), Sody (1941).