505.

Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse

Vandeleuria oleraceus

French: Vandeleuria dAsie / German: Asiatische Langschwanzklettermaus / Spanish: Raton trepador de cola larga de Indomalasia Other common names: Asiatic Long-tailed Climbing Mouse, Indomalayan Vandeleuria Taxonomy. Mus oleraceaus Bennett, 1832,

Deccan region, Madras, India. Genus Vandeleuria is masculine, so widely used specific name oleracea has been changed for gender agreement. Vandeleuria oleraceusis possibly a composite of species. Polytypic, but subspecific taxonomy requires reassessment. Distribution. Widespread in S Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lan-ka), S China (W & S Yunnan), and mainland SE Asia N of the Isthmus of Kra. Descriptive notes. Head-body 68 mm, tail 105 mm, ear 13 mm, hindfoot 17 mm; weight 10 g. The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse is small, with flat nail on outer finger and outertoe; tail is slender, brown, twice as long as head-body length, and lacks distal tuft. Dorsal pelageis silky and salmon in color; venter is white, with fulvous hues. Habitat. Tall cane and tangled vines in primary and secondary forest such as bamboo forest, moist deciduous forest, temperate forests, montane wet zone, and disturbed secondary forests, and perhaps agricultural areas at elevations of 150-1500 m. Food and Feeding. Indomalayan [Long-tailed Climbing Mice eat fruits, buds, and flowers. Breeding. Litters of the Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse have 3-6 young. Activity patterns. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice are arboreal and nocturnal, although one individual was caught duringthe day. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mice build nests in tall bushes or cane to rear their young. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Last (as V. olacea). The Indomalayan Long-tailed Climbing Mouse occurs in several habitats and a wide distribution that includes national parks. Further taxonomical studies are required to assess conservation status ofthis potentially diverse species complex. Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Dang Huy Huynh et al. (1994), Ellerman (1941), Marshall (1977b), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1932), Phillips (1980), Wang Yingxiang (2003).