Rattus mollicomulus Tate & Archbold 1935

690.

Lampobatang Sulawesi Rat

Rattus mollicomulus

French: Rat a poil doux / German: Lompobattang-Ratte / Spanish: Rata de Lampobatang

Other common names: Little Soft-furred Rat

Taxonomy. Rattus mollicomulus Tate & Archbold, 1935,

“Wawa Karaing [= Wawokaraeng], Gunung [= Mount] Lampobatang, southern Celebes [= Sulawesi], 1500 meters,” Indonesia.

Rattus mollicomulusis in the R. rattusspecies group and closely related to R. hoffmanna, although genetic studies have not been conducted for R. mollicomulus. Monotypic.

Distribution. Mt Lampobatang, SW Sulawesi.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 153-157 mm, tail 141-154 mm, hindfoot 33-35 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Lampobatang Sulawesi Rat is small and similar to Hoffmann’s Sulawesi Rat (R. hoffmanni). Pelage is long, soft, and dense. Dorsum is pale yellowish brown; venteris silvery white, tinged with buff. Hindfeet are white dorsally; forefeet are brown dorsally. Ears are rounded and grayish brown; vibrissae are long. Tail is ¢.100% of head-body length, covered in short hairs and dark brown, sometimes grayish brown. Skull is smaller than that of Hoffmann’s Sulawesi Rat.

Habitat. Upper montane tropical moist forests at elevations of 1100-2000 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Lampobatang Sulawesi Rat has a restricted distribution but is apparently common, although it isknown from only five specimens. It occurs in Gunung LLampobatang National Park and does not appear to face any major conservation threats.

Bibliography. Musser & Carleton (2005), Musser & Holden (1991), Musser & Ruedas (2008b), Tate & Archbold (1935a).