Nillu rat

Nillu rat
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Rattus
Species:	R. montanus
Binomial name
Rattus montanus Phillips, 1932

The Nillu rat (Rattus montanus) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Sri Lanka where it is known as நில்ளு எலி (Nillu Eli) in tamil and නෙලූ මීයා(Nelu Meeya) in Sinhalese.^[1]

Range

The Nillu rat is only found in Knuckles, Horton Plains, Nuwara Eliya, and Ohiya in the central highlands of Central and Uva provinces of Sri Lanka.

Description

Head and body length is 16–17 cm. Tail is 20–22 cm. Grayish brown with a reddish tinge dorsally, darkest along back. Underparts gray grading into whitish. Chin and upper throat white. Tail blackish brown with fine dark hairs. Long, shiny black whiskers. Fur soft and long, up to 45mm in length in back. Feet covered with short hairs.

References

• de A. Goonatilake, W.I.L.D.P.T.S. & Molur, S. 2008. Rattus montanus. 2009 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 6 October 2009.
• Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.