| Dinagat Hairy-tailed Rat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Common Name | Russet Batomys |
| Range | Dinagat Island in the Philippines |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Rodentia |
| Family | Muridae |
| Genus | Batomys |
| Species | Batomys russatus |
The Dinagat hairy-tailed rat (Batomys russatus), is a species of murid in the family Muridae. It is endemic to the Dinagat Island in the Philippines.
Systematics[]
The scientific name of the species, russatus, is derived from the English word "russet" with Latin suffix "atus", referencing the russet fur of this species. The scientific name was given by Musser, Heaney, and Tabaranza, Jr. in 1998.
Distribution[]
The Dinagat hairy-tailed rat is found on Dinagat Island and possibly on other islands nearby. It occurs in lowland forests with an elevation of around 350 meters.
Behavior[]
This species is herbivorous, arboreal, and nocturnal.
Threats[]
Illegal logging since 1995 and mining operations from 2001-2007 have disturbed suitable habitat for this rodent, thus endangering it. Government is very supportive of these mining companies and very little research has been done on this rodent, so the IUCN placed the Dinagat Hairy-tailed Rat as Endangered as of 2008.
Sources[]
- "Batomys russatus Musser, Heaney & Tabaranza Jr. 1998." Encyclopedia of Life, eol.org. Accessed 17 June 2022.
- "Dinagat hairy-tailed rat." Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/. Accessed 17 June 2022.
- "Russet batomys." Earth.com, www.earth.com. Accessed 17 June 2022.
- "Russet Batomys." IUCN Red List, www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed 17 June 2022.