| Rice-field Rat | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Subfamily: | Murinae |
| Genus: | Rattus |
| Species: | R. argentiventer |
| Binomial name | |
| Rattus argentiventer (Robinson & Kloss, 1916) |
|
The Rice-field Rat, Rattus argentiventer is a species of rat found throughout Southeast Asia.
Contents |
The Rice-field Rat is a medium-sized rat with a grizzed yellow-brown and black pelage. Its belly is gray in the midline with whiter flanks. The tail is uniformly medium brown. They have chisel-like incisor. The Rice-field Rat is between 304-400mm long with a tail length of 140-200mm and a skull length of 37-41mm. The average weight of Rattus argentiventer is around 97 to 219 g. Female have 12 mammae. Young have an orange-colored tuft in front of each ear.
Rice field lives in large groups consists of dominant male and high ranking female. When attacked or disturbed, they will make squeals and whistles sound. Rattus argentiventer main diet is including termites, insects, grasshopper, snails, seeds, nuts, rice, vegetables and fruits. They feed at night and actively moving at dusk and dawn. During daytime, they can be seen among vegetations, weeds or maturing field. Ricefield rat undergoes 3 week gestation giving birth about 5 to 10 young per litters.
Rice-field Rats primarily reside in cultivated areas such as rice paddies and grasslands. It is largely dependent on human rice fields and plantations. Rice field rats shelter in burrows in soil, under rocks, and in logs.
Ricefield Rat can be found throughout Southeast Asia consists of Indochina region, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippine, and New Guinea as major rodent pest in rice field area.
Parasites of Rice-field Rat include:
1. P. Junaidi, F.M.Charles & P.Karen. 1985. A Field Guide To The Mammals Of Borneo.The Sabah Society.