Tokudaia

The Ryukyu spiny rats ( Tokudaia ) are a rodent species from the group of Altweltmäuse ( Murinae ). The genus includes three species.

These rodents reach a body length 12-18 inches, including another 10 to 13 centimeters long tail comes. Her thick fur is colored orange-black on the back, the underside is light gray, and the tail is two-colored. Named giving feature are the bristly, black hairs on the back.

Ryukyu spiny rats live on the located south of Japan Ryukyu Islands. Their habitat are lined with dense undergrowth forests. Otherwise, little is known about their way of life.

There are three types:

• Tokudaia muenninki occurs only in the north of the island of Okinawa.
• Tokudaia osimensis is endemic to Anami.
• Tokudaia tokunoshimensis was described only in 2006 and lives on Tokunoshima.

Due to its small distribution area and the destruction of their habitat, IUCN T. muenninki lists as " threatened with extinction " ( critically endangered ) and the other two species as " critically endangered " ( endangered ).

Systematically, the Ryukyu spiny rats are close relatives of wood mice ( Apodemus ).