Rattus ranjiniae Agrawal & Ghosal 1969
- Dataset
- Muridae
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Chordata
- class
- Mammalia
- order
- Rodentia
- family
- Muridae
- genus
- Rattus
- species
- Rattus ranjiniae
activity
Activity patterns. Ranjini’s Rat is nocturnal and fossorial.
biology_ecology
Habitat. Arable land, waterlogged areas, and inundated cultivated fields at elevations up to 1000 m.
biology_ecology
Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.
breeding
Breeding. No information.
conservation
Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Ranjini’s Rat is known from a very fragmented and restricted distribution and few specimens. Nevertheless, it is considered a pestin Schedule V of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Major threats include conversion of agricultural fields for developmental activities and increased use of pesticides and other agrochemicals. Additional research is needed fully understand its natural history, taxonomy, and conservation threats.
description
Descriptive notes. Head-body 162 261 mm, tail 187 - 232 mm, ear 18 - 21 mm, hindfoot 44 - 47 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Ranjini’s Rat is medium to large and distinctive. Pelage is long and soft, with soft spines throughout; dorsum is grayish brown; and venter is off white. Hindfeet are long and slender; claws are rather long proportionally compared with other species of Rattus. Ears are fairly short; vibrissaeare long. Tail is ¢. 100 % of head-body length, thin, and unicolored brown. Skull has large bulla, narrow incisive foramina, and short bony plate that does not extend past third molar.
discussion
Placement of R. ranjiniaein Rattus is unresolved, and it has not been included in any phylogenetic studies. This unique species should eventually be included in different genus. Monotypic.
distribution
Distribution. Only scattered localities in Kerala, SW India.
food_feeding
Food and Feeding. No information.
materials_examined
Trivandrum, Kerala State, south-western Indian Peninsula, India.
Name
- Homonyms
- Rattus ranjiniae Agrawal & Ghosal 1969
- Common names
- Kerala Rat in الانكليزية
- Kerala-Ratte in الألمانية
- Ranjini’s Field Rat in الانكليزية
- Ranjini’s Rat in الانكليزية
- Rat de Ranjini in الفرنسية
- Rata de Ranjini in language.