Melomys capensis Tate 1951
- Dataset
- Muridae
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Chordata
- class
- Mammalia
- order
- Rodentia
- family
- Muridae
- genus
- Melomys
- species
- Melomys capensis
activity
Activity patterns. The Cape York Mosaic-tailed Rat is a nocturnal and scansorial species, resting in tree hollows during day.
biology_ecology
Habitat. Forest — grassland ecotone and rainforest areas.
biology_ecology
Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.
breeding
Breeding. Reproduction may occur throughout year, and females usually give birth to two young.
conservation
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Cape York Mosaic-tailed Rat is common in suitable habitat. Such habitat, however, is not particularly frequent within its range.
description
Descriptive notes. Head-body 1 19 - 162 mm, tail 129 - 172, ear 16 mm, hindfeet 30 - 5 mm; weight 45 - 116 g. This relatively small Melomys is characterized by dull rufous- brown dorsal pelage and a pure white ventral one; it has broad feet. Tail is longer (129 %) than head-body length.
discussion
Melomys capensis, because it isvery similar to M. cervinipes, was formerly considered a subspecies of latter, but genetic studies by P. R. Baverstock and colleagues in 1980 justified its elevation to species rank. J. I. Menzies in 1996 included it in the M. cer vinipes division (cervinipes, capensis, burtoni, [rigicola, lutillus). 1. M. Bryant and coworkers in 2011 confirmed that M. capensis is a valid species and thatits sisteris M. rubicola rather than M. cervinipes; a similar result was obtained also by P. H. Fabre’s team in 2017. Monotypic.
distribution
Distribution. Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia, including some offshore islands.
food_feeding
Food and Feeding. Cape York Mosaic-tailed Rats feed on fallen seeds.
materials_examined
“ upper Nesbit River, Rocky Scrub (east of Coen) [Queensland, Australia], 1500 feet [= 457 m]. ”
Name
- Synonyms
- Melomys cervinipes subsp. capensis Tate 1951
- Homonyms
- Melomys capensis Tate 1951
- Common names
- Cape York Melomys in Anglais
- Cape York Mosaic-tailed Rat in Anglais
- Kap-York-Mosaikschwanzratte in Allemand
- Mélomys de Cape York in Français
- Rata de cola moteada de York in language.