Short-footed Luzon Tree Rat

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Short-footed Luzon Tree Rat
The lower rodent is the Short-footed Luzon Tree Rat
Conservation status
Data Deficient (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae Genus: Carpomys Species: C. melanurus
Binomial name
Carpomys melanurus Thomas, 1895

The Short-footed Luzon Tree Rat or Greater dwarf cloud rat (Carpomys melanurus) is a species of rodent in the Muridae family. It is found only in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.

This species was long thought to be extinct. In 2008, Filipino researchers found a specimen in the canopy of Mount Pulag National Park, the first scientifically observed individual of the species since 1896.^[1] The captured individual was "about 185 grams and has dense soft reddish-brown fur, a black mask around large dark eyes, small rounded ears, a broad and blunt snout and a long tail covered with dark hair".^[1]

[edit] References

• Heaney, L. 1996. Carpomys melanurus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 09 July 2007.
• 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.