Mount Pulag tree-mouse
The Mount Pulag tree-mouse (Musseromys beneficus)[3] is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.[1] It is found on Mount Pulag in Luzon, Philippines.[1][2]
| Mount Pulag tree-mouse | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Musseromys |
| Species: | M. beneficus |
| Binomial name | |
| Musseromys beneficus Heaney, Balete, Rickart, Veluz & Jansa, 2014[2] | |
Description
As for all members of the genus Musseromys, they are small murids weighing between 15 and 22 g (0.53 and 0.78 oz).[2] They have tails of 82–101 mm (3.2–4.0 in) which are usually longer than the rest of their bodies 74–84 mm (2.9–3.3 in).[2]
Three adult specimens were collected, now in the collections of the Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH):
- an adult female (♀) (FMNH 198713),
- an adult female (♀) (FMNH 198714, holotype),
- an adult male (♂) (FMNH 198857).[2]
Their measurements are as follows :
| Attribute | FMNH 198713 (♀) | FMNH 198714 (♀, holotype) | FMNH 198857 (♂) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head-body length (mm) | 75 | 81 | 84 |
| Tail length (mm) | 82 | 82 | 88 |
| Weight (g) | 18 | 22 | 22 |
Conservation
Data on this species endemic to the Philippines is, as of now, known from only one location.[2] This particularity, alongside lack of knowledge on habitats and potential threats of the species, brought the IUCN to assess the Mount Pulag tree-mouse as "Data Deficient".[1]
References
- Dando, T.; Kennerly, R. (2019). "Musseromys beneficus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T112041990A112041994. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T112041990A112041994.en.
- Heaney, Lawrence R.; Balete, Danilo S.; Rickart, Eric A.; Veluz, Maria Josefa; Jansa, Sharon A. (16 May 2014). "Three New Species of Musseromys (Muridae, Rodentia), the Endemic Philippine Tree Mouse from Luzon Island". American Museum Novitates (3802): 1–27. doi:10.1206/3802.1. S2CID 53542249. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- "Musseromys beneficus". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists. Retrieved 8 February 2023.