The long-nosed paramelomys (''Paramelomys naso'') is a species of rodent of 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 ...

endemic to New Guinea. It is found in the lowlands of the south of the country.

Classification

''P. naso'' is very similar to '' Paramelomys levipes'', and was originally classed as a synonym of ''Melomys levipes lorentzii'', then a subspecies of ''Melomys levipes''. In 1996 the genus ''

Melomys ''Melomys'' is a genus of rodents in the family Muridae. Members of this genus live in the wet habitats of northern Australia ( Far North Queensland), New Guinea, Torres Strait Islands and islands of the Indonesian archipelago. Species The ge ...

'' was redefined and ''Paramelomys'' was upgraded from a

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

, creating the species ''Paramelomys naso'' and ''Paramelomys levipes''. They are distinguished by ''P. naso's'' slightly wider molars.

Appearance

''P. naso'' has a head and body length of 168–188 mm; its tail is between 121–132 mm. The fur is short and smooth, upper parts are brown, the dorsal part of the head is grey and the ventral parts are grey/white. The tail is black with one hair per tail scale.

Habitat

The species is common throughout south and west-central New Guinea in

Papua Province Papua is a province of Indonesia, comprising the northern coast of Western New Guinea together with island groups in Cenderawasih Bay to the west. It roughly follows the borders of Papuan customary region of Tabi Saireri. It is bordered by the ...

, and on Wokam Island in the Aru Islands. It lives in subtropical/tropical lowland forest up to an altitude of 1000 m.

Preservation

''Paramelomys naso'' is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. It has a wide distribution, a large population, no real threats, and seems tolerant to loss of habitat caused by logging and palm forest expansion. However, it has been suggested that further studies are needed to determine if the species would be vulnerable to heavy disturbance.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q65342 Paramelomys Rats of Asia Endemic fauna of Papua New Guinea Rodents of Papua New Guinea Mammals described in 1911 Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas