Ceylon spiny mouse
| Ceylon spiny mouse | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Mus |
| Subgenus: | Pyromys |
| Species: | M. fernandoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Mus fernandoni (Phillips, 1932) | |
The Ceylon spiny mouse (Mus fernandoni) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Sri Lanka where it is known as ශ්රී ලංකා කටු හීන් මීයා in Sinhala language.
Description
Head and body length 9-11cm. Tail 6-7cm. Reddish gray above, with gray flat spines (each with 11mm in length) and the reddish hue from the intermixed fine fur. Underparts pure white with lots of long black hairs overlying. Whitish to grayish underparts, sometimes with a reddish brown tinge. Ears dark and relatively large. Snout pointed. Tail scaly, dark purple in color, and longer than body length. Incisors are orange in color.
References
- Baillie, J. 1996. Mus fernandoni. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 19 July 2007.
- Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.