Tanezumi rat
The Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi ) is a mammal in the genus of rats within the Rodents ( Rodentia ). It was long considered a form of Asian house rat (Rattus rattus ) and is spreading through large parts of Asia. As neozoon she was also introduced especially in Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
Features
The Asian house rat is a medium-sized rat with a head -body length from 10.5 to 21.5 inches and a tail length of 12 to 23 centimeters. Thereby, the length of the tail about the remainder of the body length. Compared to the closely related black rat (Rattus rattus ), however, the tail is slightly shorter in relation to the body. It corresponds to the house rat, both in color as in habit largely and can be safely distinguished only on the basis of genetic data from this. The coat is very short and rough. The back color consists of different shades of brown and pale brown hair with black hair. The belly is gray with yellowish- white hair. The tail is uniformly brown or in the area of the caudal peduncle at the bottom a little brighter than at the top. The feet are. Along the sides and on the fingers whitish with gray - brown spots The hind feet reach a length of 26 to 35 millimeters, the ears a length 17 to 23 inches.
Dissemination
The distribution area of the Asian house rat consists of an area in which the rat was originally distributed, and a number of areas where it has been introduced. The exact boundaries of these areas are not fully understood. The natural range extends probably from eastern Afghanistan through Northeast India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and large areas of the People's Republic of China, including Hainan, and Korea. From here it runs south through Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand to the Isthmus of Kra. It is doubtful whether the Japanese Islands and Taiwan belong to the original distribution area or whether the species was introduced to the islands. Was safely inserted the kind, however, to Malaysia as well as the Sunda Islands, including Mentawai Islands, the surrounding islands, the Nicobar Islands, a large part of the Philippines and many other island groups in Southeast Asia to New Guinea, and from there over large parts of Micronesia to Eniwetok and the Fiji Islands.
Way of life
The Asian house rat lives mainly in and around villages and agricultural land. The animals live both on the ground and in buildings. They are generalists and highly adaptable.
System
The species status of the Asian house rat has long been controversial, and it was considered to form the Asian house rat (Rattus rattus ). Within the species in addition to the nominate subspecies are not distinguished, but it is possible that it comprises a complex of several nearby related species. The phylogenetic separation of the house rat probably took place about 400,000 years ago, the common taxon separated norvegicus of the line that contains the Pacific rat (Rattus exulans ), about 2.2 million years ago and from that the brown rat (Rattus ) implies in about 2.9 million years ago.
Threats and conservation
The species is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) due to the large distribution area and the high inventory levels as not at risk ( " least concern ").