Paucidentomys vermidax

Paucidentomys vermidax is a 2012 first-described rodent species from the mountain forests of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The species is remarkable because it lacks the molars in the upper and lower jaw. Holotype and paratype of rodent species was caught during a research trip in the mountains of northern Sulawesi Selatan ( South Sulawesi ) and in Sulawesi Barat (West Sulawesi ). Paucidentomys vermidax is the only species of the monotypic genus so Paucidentomys. The genus name means " little monodentate mouse ", the Art epithet vermidax "worm -eater ".

Features

Paucidentomys vermidax is a medium-sized rat -like rodent that outwardly resembles a shrew and in comparison to other Sulawesi between shrew -like rodents has greatly elongated snout. The eyes are small, the ears long. The coat is soft and thick, brown at the base and dark gray at the hair tips so that results in a gray-brown coat color. The tail is about 20 % longer than the head -body length, thick, hairy and dark gray on its upper side and the underside dirty whitish. Upper and lower jaws each have only two incisors and are otherwise completely toothless. The dental formula of the animals is:

The two upper incisors are short, with a higher peak forward rails and a second shorter peak that is a little further back on the tooth. Both peaks are connected by a sharp cutting edge. In the maxilla remains of the alveoli (alveoli ) of the back teeth are visible under a thin layer of almost transparent bone tissue. A wing leg missing. The lower jaw is long and delicate. Salient points of the muscles are absent. The incisors of the lower jaw are almost horizontally, are unicuspid, sharp and thin.

Way of life

The stomach of the paratype contained about 5 to 10 mm long pieces of earthworms, but no other food residues. It is believed that Paucidentomys vermidax exclusively of soft animal prey, perhaps only fed earthworms. With the sharp incisors Paucidentomys can vermidax earthworms in parts decompose before they are swallowed. Paucidentomys vermidax is probably a terrestrial living ( on the ground ) animal whose habitat is restricted to moist forests above an altitude of 1,500 meters.