649.

Cameron Highlands White-bellied Rat

Niviventer cameroni

French: Rat de Cameron / German: Cameron-Hochland-Weiltbauchratte / Spanish: Rata de vientre blanco de Cameron

Other common names: Cameron Highlands Niviventer, Malaysian White-bellied Rat

Taxonomy. Rattus rapit cameroni Chasen, 1940,

Cameron Highlands, 5000 ft (= 1524 m), Pahang, Malay Peninsula.

Niviventer cameron: and N. fraternus has been included as subspecies of N. rapit, but they are recognized as distinct species here. Monotypic.

Distribution. Cameron Highlands, Peninsular Malaysia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 130-170 mm, tail 205-270 mm, ear 18-25 mm, hindfoot 18-25 mm; weight 58-129 g. The Cameron Highlands White-bellied Rat is large, with spiny yet soft pelage;it is larger than the Montane Sumatran White-bellied Rat ( N. fraternus) and the Montane Bornean White-bellied Rat ( N. rapit). Dorsum is dark reddish brown, becoming lighter on sides; venter is white. Ears are dark brown; vibrissae are long. Tail is 130%-180% of head-body length, hairy, and distinctly bicolored (dark on top, white on bottom), with dark base and white tip. Dark brown stripe runs down hands, stopping before white feet. Skull is elongated and slender like other species of Niviventer, and zygomatic plate is thinner than on the Montane Sumatran White-bellied Rat. There are five digits on each foot, with fifth digit reduced with small claw. There are four pairs of mammae: one pectoral, one post-axillary, one abdominal, and one inguinal pairs. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 46, FN = 60.

Habitat. Primary montane tropical forests at elevations of 1520-2010 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The CameronHighlands White-bellied Rat is nocturnal and usually found on the ground.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Cameron Highlands White-bellied Rat has a fragmented and small distribution of 15,102 km?®. Forests in this area are being converted to tea plantations and urban development, further fragmenting its habitat and probably decreasing populations. It is not known if it can withstand disturbed and modified habitat. It is probably found in Cameron Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary and could be present in other protected areas. Additional research is needed to fully understand its natural history and conservation threats.

Bibliography. Chasen (1940), Clayton (2016g), Corbet & Hill (1992), Francis (2008), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pimsai et al. (2014), Yong (1969).