772.

Sulawesi Soft-furred Rat

Eropeplus canus

French: Rat givré / German: Sulawesi-Langhaarratte / Spanish: Rata de pelaje suave de Célebes

Taxonomy. Eropeplus canus G. S. Miller & Hollister, 1921,

Gunung Lehio, above 1830 m, central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Eropeplus 1s closest toLenomys based on morphological evidence and is an “old endemic” genus in Sulawesi. Variation among populations: of E. canus. might have taxonomic implications, but additional research. is needed.

Distribution. C Sulawesi.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 230- 255 mm,tail 270-296 mm, ear 21-27 mm, hindfoot 46-48 mm; weight 190-315 g. The Sulawesi Soft-furred Rat is one of the largest species of rat in Sulawesi, being rather bulky and very similar to Meyer’s Giant Rat (Lenomys meyer). Pelage is silky, soft, woolly, shaggy, and fairly long, being longer posteriorly. Dorsum is dark brownishgray. Individual hairs are either short and pale, or long and black, which causes slaty undercolor more noticeable on sides. Dorsal and ventral pelage are demarcated but not sharply. Venter is much lighter gray from mix of pale buffy hair tips and slaty undercover and extends up almost halfway up sides. Feet are sparsely covered with small black hairs. Whiskers are short and black, and ears are small, rounded, and dark. Tail is c.112% of head-body length (longer than on Meyer’s Giant Rat) and dark brownish gray, with about one-third of distal portion white and covered with thick fur at base. A specimen from Rano Ranohad strongly buffy and thinner pale part on underside and longer part of tail covered with white. Skull is noticeably smaller than that of species of Lenomys, with narrower zygomatic arches, wider interparietals, and less smoothly inflated auditory bullae. The sucking louse genus Polyplax (specifically P. eropepli, named after this species), pinworms of the genus Syphacia (including two new species, S. yuniae and S. kumus), and the roundworm Cyclodontostomum purvisi have been recorded from Sulawesi Soft-furred Rats. Spermatozoa have symmetrical club-shaped head, with very shorttail attached to mid-basal part of head. Females have two pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Undisturbed montane tropical rainforests, particularly on mountain tops, at elevations of 1800-2300 m.

Food and Feeding. The Sulawesi Soft-furred Rat is mostly folivorous, and captive individuals have eaten fruits, leaves, palm hearts, and some kinds of insects.

Breeding. Litter size is 1-2.

Activity patterns. The Sulawesi Soft-furred Rat is mostly terrestrial but has been caught in woody vines 1-4 m above the ground.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Sulawesi Soft-furred Rat occurs in 18,814 km*. Deforestation in some regions might be a threat, but there are no other known threats. Almost nothing is known about its natural history, and specimens are rarely collected (although it may be common).

Bibliography. Breed & Musser (1991), Clayton (2016d), Dewi, Hasegawa & Asakawa (2014), Durden & Musser (1992), Miller & Hollister (1921), Musser (1982a), Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Durden (2002).