The highland brush mouse (''Abeomelomys sevia''), also known as the Menzies' mouse,
is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...
in the family
Muridae
The Muridae, or murids, are the largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 1,383 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
The name Muridae come ...
. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to Papua New Guinea, and is found in
montane moss forests and in alpine zones over 2,000 m. It is the
only species in the genus ''Abeomelomys'', although it has been placed in ''
Pogonomelomys
''Pogonomelomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the ...
'' in the past.
Names
It is known as ymgenm (or yamganm ) in the
Kalam language of
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
.
References
*
*
Rats of Asia
Old World rats and mice
Endemic fauna of Papua New Guinea
Rodents of Papua New Guinea
Mammals described in 1935
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Rodents of New Guinea
{{Murinae-stub