The Hamiguitan hairy-tailed rat (''Batomys hamiguitan'') is one of five
species of
rodent in the
genus Batomys. It is in the diverse 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 ...
. This species is
found only in the
Philippines. is a yellow-brown animal with a long furry tail, weighs about 175 grams, and is related to several other species known in Central
Mindanao,
Dinagat Island and
Luzon. It lives only in an area that's at least 950 meters high, and in
dwarf mossy forests less than 10 square kilometers.
It was the last member of its genus to be discovered in May 2006.
[ According to team leader and lead author Danilo Balete, "Hamiguitan batomys is the first mammal to be described from Eastern Mindanao, and the first thought to live only in that area."
This species corroborates the hypothesis that the island of Mindanao has multiple centers of endemism, of which the southeastern highland of ]Mount Hamiguitan
Mount Hamiguitan is a mountain located in the province of Davao Oriental, Philippines. It has a height of . The mountain and its vicinity has one of the most diverse wildlife populations in the country. Among the wildlife found in the area are Ph ...
is one.
References
External links
New rat species found on Philippines mountain
Phys.org, 18 February 2009
Rats of Asia
Batomys
Endemic fauna of the Philippines
Fauna of Mindanao
Rodents of the Philippines
Mammals described in 2008
{{Murinae-stub