780.

Diurnal Sulawesian Shrew Rat

Melasmothrix naso

French: Rat diurne / German: Kleine Sulawesi-Spitzmausratte / Spanish: Rata musarana diurna de Célebes Other common names: Diurnal Sulawesi Shrew Rat, Sulawesi Shrew Rat

Taxonomy. Melasmothrix naso G. S. Miller & Hollister, 1921,

“Rano Rano, Middle Celebes [= central Sulawesi|, Indonesia.

The closest living relative to M. nasois Tateo- mys macrocercus, with 1. rhinogradoides as an outgroup, which makes Tateomys paraphyletic and thus in need of being split from or combined with Melasmothrix, pending additional studies. The Tateomys + Melasmothrix clade was sister to a clade including Echiothrix and Paucidentomys . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from two localities in C Sulawesi.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 115-121 mm, tail 83-92 mm, ear 18-19 mm, hindfoot 28 mm; weight 42-52 g. The Diurnal Sulawesian Shrew Ratis unique, small, and dark, with elongated head and muzzle and small eyes and ears. Pelage is dense and velvety, dark black with golden brown mixed throughout; hairs have slate bases and golden brown tips, with longer glossy black hairs mixed throughout. Venter is barely distinct from dorsum and sides, being slightly less dark. Feet are scarcely haired, and fifth toes are reduced, with flattened nail instead of claw; claws are longest on forefeet (possibly for digging). Tail is ¢.74% of head-body length, sparsely furred, and brownish black. Hands, feet, and ears are brownish black; vibrissae are fairly short and white. Skull is elongated and similar to the Northern Sulawesi Spiny Rat ( Echiothrix leucura), but braincase is relatively larger and rostrum less elongated. The sucking lice Polyplax melasmothrixi has been recorded from this species.

Habitat. Cool, wet, and mossy habitats in tropical upper montane rainforest at elevations of 1830-2286 m.

Food and Feeding. The Diurnal Sulawesian Shrew Rat apparently primarily eats earthworms and fungus gnats.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Diurnal Sulawesian Shrew Rat is diurnal and terrestrial (possibly a burrowing species based on long claws on forefeet).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There are very few specimens of the Diurnal Sulawesian Shrew Rat and thus almost no information on its natural history, distribution, and conservation needs. It occurs in Lore Lindu National Park.

Bibliography. Durden & Musser (1992), Maryanto & Yani (2003), Miller & Hollister (1921), Musser (1982a), Musser, Lunde & Ruedas (2008a), Rowe etal. (2016a).