767.

Montane Hill Rat

Bunomys penitus

French: Bunomys des montagnes / German: Zentral-Sulawesi-Bergratte / Spanish: Rata de colina de montana

Other common names: Inland Hill Rat, Montane Bunomys

Taxonomy. Rattus penitus G. S. Miller & Hollister, 1921,

Gunung Lehio, above 6000 ft (= 1830 m), central Sulawesi, Indonesia .

Bunomys penitus is in the B. fratrorum species group within Bunomys and is sister to B. andrewsi . Monotypic.

Distribution. WC core and SE peninsula of Sulawesi, including Mt Kanino, Mt Nokilalaki, Mt Lehio, Rano Rano, and Mamasa regions, Quarles Range, Mt Rantemario, and Mt Latimojong.

Descriptive notes. er 155-242 mm, tail 138-190 mm, ear 23-29 mm, hindfoot 28-45 mm; weight 95-170 g. The Montane Hill Rat is the largest member of the B. fratrorum species group, with broad head, long rostrum, and robust body. Pelage is moderately long, soft, and lustrous, with shortish blackish guard hairs mixed throughout. Dorsum is brownish gray, speckled with buff that is a mix of dark gray underfur and overhairs with brown tips and buffy bands, being dark gray for the most part. Sides are paler grayish brown and fade into ventral pelage. Sides of muzzle are white. Venter is grayish white or dark grayish white, although some are grayish buff, with gray hairs and unpigmented tips or unpigmented altogether, respectively. Juveniles are duller and darker, with more grayish white underparts. Feet are long and slender, with white digits. Ears are large, covered in short unpigmented hair, rubbery, and gray and brown hues. Tail is 88-102% of head-body length and mainly bicolored, brownish gray to blackish gray dorsally and glossy white ventrally, with white tip most of the time. Scrotum is gray. Skull is large, with long and wide rostrum and narrow zygomatic plate. Fleas (e.g. Sigmactenus, Stivalius, Musserella, and Dasypsyllus), ticks (Rhipicephalus) pseudoscorpions (Magachernes and Chiridiochernes), and nematodes (Bunomystrongylus and Sibulura) have been recorded from the Montane Hill Rat. There are two pairs of inguinal mammae. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 42, FN = 60 (females) or FN = 61 (males).

Habitat. Cool, mossy, and wet montane evergreen rainforest at elevations of 1500-2000 m.

Food and Feeding. The Montane Hill Rat is omnivorous, primarily being myocphagous, feeding on earthworms, snails, arthropods, fruits, and fungi. Similar to the Common Hill Rat ( B. chrysocomus), it is an aggressive feeder when taking earthworms, insects, centipedes, and snails. Meaty seeds of Lithocarpus (Fagaceae) extracted from there hard shell are eaten, as well as figs and some other fruits. Fungi make up the most significant portion of the species diet. Various species of fungi are taken, including various species of predominantly shelf-like fungi (e.g. Awricularia, Panellus) with two species ofjelly or ear fungi recorded as well.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Montane Hill Rat is terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Montane Hill Rat has a relatively small distribution, and area of suitable habitat is decreasing due to deforestation and habitat loss from logging and conversion of land to cultivated gardens. It is considered common in Lindu National Park and might be found in other protected areas.

Bibliography. Durden & Beaucournu (2000), Hasegawa & Mangali (1996), Hasegawa et al. (2014), Musser (1991, 2014), Musser & Carleton (2005), Ruedas, Lunde, Musser & Aplin (2008).