Animal Profile IUCN: LC

Typhlomys macrourus Zheng

Typhlomys macrourus Zheng,1993

Rodents 2022-11-04 15:21:01 670 views

Scientific Name Typhlomys macrourus Zheng,1993

Length 70-90mm

Weight

Lifespan

IUCN Status LC

Table of Contents

The giant pig-tailed rat belongs to the Platacanthomyidae family, a very unique and ancient family. There are only 2 genera and 6 species, 4 of which are in China. The 4 species in China originally only had one pig-tailed rat (<Typhlomys cinereus>), the type locality is Fujian, of which there are 2 subspecies, one in the border area between Vietnam and Yunnan, my country, and the other in Dalou Mountain between Chongqing and Guizhou. Chinese scientists Cheng Feng and others promoted these two subspecies to species (Cheng et al., 2017), and also discovered a new species: the small pig-tailed rat (<Typhlomys nanus>).

1_九雷图片转化为.jpg

2_九雷图片时钟.jpg

3_九雷图片转化为.jpg

Profile Details

Key characteristics, appearance, and habitat information.

Traits & Behavior

The back of the body is dark gray, the tail is like a pig's tail, and there is a patch of white hair at the back.

Appearance

There are only 16 teeth, and there are no canines or premolars in the upper and lower jaws. The fifth toe of the front foot is specialized into a big toe with a nail. The individual is larger than other species of pigtail rats, with a body length of 70-90mm. The tail is longer, averaging 140% of the body length. The back of the body is dark gray; the base of the hair on the ventral side is gray, and the tip of the hair is grayish white. The dorsal and ventral hair color boundaries are obvious. The ears are medium-sized and almost bare. The dorsal side of the front and rear feet is dark brown. The dorsal and ventral tails are the same color, with a white tail tip, forming a brush.