''Leptomys'' is a genus of rodent endemic to
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu
Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea).
It is a simplified version of ...
. It is considered part of the New Guinea Old Endemics, meaning it was part of the first wave of
murine rodent
The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. Members of this subfamily are called murines. In terms of species richness, this subfamily is larger than all mammal families excep ...
s to colonize the island. Leptomys are seen to have minimal adaptations to their aquatic life style. Elongated hind feet accompanied by elongated centre toes suggest the ability to leap. The third molar which is lost is many rodents is retained but smaller in size. Small eyes and ears can be seen amongst its velvety soft fur.
Species
* ''
Leptomys arfakensis
''Leptomys arfakensis'' is a species of rodent in the family of Muridae. It is found in the Arfak Mountains of West Papua, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between th ...
''
Musser, Helgen & Lunde, 2008
*
Long-footed water rat
The long-footed water rat (''Leptomys elegans'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in the mountains of southern Papua New Guinea.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest.
Distribution and habitat
The l ...
, ''Leptomys elegans''
*
Ernst Mayr's water rat
Ernst Mayr's water rat (''Leptomys ernstmayri'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae, named for evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr.
It is found in the Foja Mountains of Papua Province, Indonesia, and in the mountains of northeastern Papu ...
, ''Leptomys ernstmayri''
* ''
Leptomys paulus
''Leptomys paulus'' is a small rodent belonging to the family Muridae endemic to New Guinea.
Description
''L. paulus'' has a head and body length of between 117 and 132 mm, and a tail length of between 138 and 163 mm. Its ears are 18 ...
''
Musser, Helgen & Lunde, 2008
*
Fly River water rat
The Fly River water rat (''Leptomys signatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found only in Papua New Guinea.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.
It is threatened by habitat loss
Habitat destruc ...
, ''Leptomys signatus''
References
*Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. pp. 894–1531 ''in'' Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
*Musser G.G., Helgen K.M., and Lunde D.P. 2008. Systematic review of New Guinea Leptomys (Muridae, Murinae) with descriptions of two new species. AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES, 3624:1-60.
Rodent genera
Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas
{{Murinae-stub