Dinagat hairy-tailed rat or russet batomys (''Batomys russatus'') is one of five
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 n ...
in the
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
''
Batomys''. It is in the diverse family
Muridae.
This species 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 else ...
to the Philippines.
Distribution
This rat is found on
Dinagat Island
Dinagat Island is an island located northeast of Mindanao in the Philippines.
Until December 2006, it was part of the province of Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Norte ( Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Norte''; ceb, Amihanang Surigao; ...
and possibly on other islands nearby. Further surveys have yet to be carried out, but it is currently
endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...
according to the IUCN.
IUCNRedist.org
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References
Rats of Asia
Batomys
Endemic fauna of the Philippines
Fauna of Dinagat Islands
Rodents of the Philippines
Mammals described in 1998
{{Murinae-stub