White-tailed rat

The white-tailed rat (Mystromys albicaudatus) is also known as the white-tailed mouse, and it is the only member of the subfamily Mystromyinae in the family Nesomyidae.

Sometimes the subfamily Mystromyinae is grouped with other subfamilies of muroids in the family Muridae.

This special rat lives only in shrubby areas and grasslands of South Africa and Lesotho. It is not a common animal, and scientists think its numbers are getting smaller because people are changing its natural homes. Because of these challenges, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has officially listed the white-tailed rat as an "endangered species".

Description

The white-tailed rat is a fairly large rodent. Males measure about 163 mm (6.4 in) from head to body, while females are slightly smaller at 144 mm (5.7 in). They have soft fur that is greyish-brown on top and whitish-grey underneath. Their tails are short and covered in white fur. These rats have long whiskers, rounded dark ears, and their faces are mostly grey with some pale spots. Their fore feet have four digits, and their hind feet have five.

Taxonomy

South African fossils from the Pliocene were once thought to be from a different species. But later studies showed they were the same as the white-tailed rat, M. albicaudatus.

Distribution and habitat

The white-tailed rat lives only in South Africa and Lesotho. It prefers grasslands and areas with bushes. During the day, it stays in burrows made by meerkats or in cracks in the soil. It comes out to explore at night.

Ecology

Evidence from dental microwear of fossilised teeth found in Makapansgat Limeworks shows that the white-tailed rat’s diet was similar to what it eats today. The white-tailed rat eats plants such as seeds and sometimes insects. Its stomach works in a way that helps it digest food, and bacteria in its gut help break down the food. Unlike hamsters, white-tailed rats do not have cheek pouches.