Millardia

The Asian soft rats ( Millardia ) are a rodent species from the group of Altweltmäuse ( Murinae ). The genus includes four species.

General

These rodents reach a body length 8-20 cm, which must be added a 7 to 19 centimeters long tail comes. Named giving feature is the soft, not prickly fur. Your back is colored brown to gray- brown, the underside is white. The ears are relatively large, the tail is hairy.

Home to these animals are in southern Asia, their range extends from Pakistan over large parts of India to Myanmar, also in Sri Lanka they occur. Habitat is grasslands and swamps, but also fields. They are nocturnal, hiding them serve as burrows - also those of other animals - or rock piles. Their diet are grains, seeds and green parts of plants.

System

According to Wilson & Reeder (2005 ), the Asian soft rats namesake of Millardia - generic group, a South Asian radiation of Altweltmäuse, the next still the genera Indian Rocks rats ( Cremnomys ), Crump mice ( Diomys ) and Blanford rats ( Madromys ) includes. According to genetic studies of Lecompte et al. (2008 ) form at least the Asian soft rats and the Indian rock rats own tribe, Millardini.

The four types are distinguished:

• Millardia gleadowi lives in Pakistan and northwestern India.
• Millardia kathleenae is endemic in Myanmar.
• Millardia kondana occurs in only one place, the Singharh plateau in the state of Maharashtra.
• Millardia meltada inhabits Pakistan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

M. kondana applies due to its small distribution area as " threatened with extinction " ( critically endangered ), the other three species are not endangered according to IUCN. M. meltada sometimes multiplies so strong that they are considered a nuisance and devastate many agricultural areas.