Nesomys audeberti
Creators: name: Wilson, Don E.
name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Nesomyidae
Nesomys
Nesomys audeberti

description: 25. Audebert’s Forest Rat <i>Nesomys audeberti</i> <b>French:</b> Nésomys d’Audebert / <b>German:</b> Audebert-Inselratte / <b>Spanish:</b> Rata de bosque de Audebert <b>Other common names:</b> Lowland Red Forest Rat, White-bellied Nesomys <b>Taxonomy.</b> Hallomys audeberti Jentink, 1879, “ Maisine and Savary, N. E. Madagascar.” Restricted by M. D. Carleton and colleagues in 2014 to “ Toamasina Province (former), Analanjirofo Région, west of Antongil Bay toward the western frontier of Fivondronana Mananara Avaratra, ‘ Savary.” This species is monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Endemic to E Madagascar. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 195-203 mm, tail 169-173 mm; weight 193-239 g. Dorsum of Audebert’s Forest Ratis reddish brown, often mixed with black hair especially in middle of back, and venteris largely rusty-red, with central portion and throat white. Snout is elongated, and ears are moderately long. Base oftail has short black hair that becomes progressively longer and denser toward tip, which can be white. Legs, feet, and toes have dark brown fur. <b>Habitat.</b> Eastern humid lowland and montane forest from nearsea level to elevations of ¢.1050 m. Audebert’s Forest Rat has a patchy distribution and at some localities occurs in sympatry with the Red Forest Rat (N. rufus). <b>Food and Feeding.</b> Audebert’s Forest Rat is presumed to be largely granivorous and perhaps on occasion frugivorous or insectivorous. <b>Breeding.</b> Breeding season of Audebert’s Forest Rat coincides with the end of the dry season; reproductive activity begins in July-August, and young are born c.6 weekslater. Females have three pairs of mammae, and maximum recorded litter size is two young. <b>Activity patterns.</b> Audebert’s Forest Rat is diurnal and terrestrial, with a tendency to be crepuscular. It lives in underground in complex burrows with numerous holes and often placed in root complexes. These burrows have sections with freshly clipped plant material and sleeping chambers with finer plant material. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> Average home range of Audebert’s Forest Rat is c.1-5 ha, almost three times larger than that of the Red Forest Rat, with some sexual differences (females averaging 0-5 ha and males 1-4 ha). Home ranges do not appear to be defended and can be occupied by a male and numerous females. An Audebert’s Forest Rat can travel a ground distance of ¢.500 m/day. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Audebert’s Forest Rat is strictly forest-dwelling and is known from widely separated localities across much of the eastern humid forests of Madagascar. It frequents lowland formations that have been drastically reduced in their extent due to human pressure, and its mediumand long-term future is uncertain. <b>Bibliography.</b> Carleton, Smeenk et al. (2014), Goodman, Ganzhorn &amp; Rakotondravony (2003), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Rakotomalala et al. (2007), Ryan (2003), Ryan et al. (1993), Soarimalala &amp; Goodman (2011).
description: Published as part of <i>Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier &amp; Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Nesomyidae, pp. 156-203 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on page 191, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6600357