Least Philippine Forest Mouse
Encyclopedia
The Camiguin Forest Mouse, Apomys camiguinensis is a forest mouse
endemic to the island
of Camiguin
in the Philippines
. It has large ears and eyes, a long tail and rusty-brown fur, and it feeds mostly on insects
and seeds
. This description is based on mice captured during a biological survey conducted in 1994 and 1995 high on the steep slopes of one of the island's volcanoes
.
In April, 2006, the new mammal, a Philippine forest mouse, now identified as Apomys camiguinensis was captured on the steep slopes of a volcano of Camiguin
during a biological survey by Heaney and Tabaranza. In 2002, Heaney, Tabaranza, and Eric Rickart (from the Utah
Museum of Natural History), described a different species of forest-living rodent, Bullimus gamay, from Mt. Timpoong, the same mountain where the new mouse was collected. A frog (Oreophryne nana) named in 1967 had been thought to be the only vertebrate restricted to the island prior to the surveys by Heaney and Tabaranza. The scientists' research was described in the April 5 issue of Fieldiana: Zoology, a scientific journal about biodiversity research published by The Field Museum. It is endemically distributed to Dinagat (FMNH), Luzon
(Benguet
[USNM], Camarines Sur
[FMNH], and Isabela [FMNH] provinces) and Mindoro
(FMNH). It is abundant in primary montane forest (1125 - 1350 m), uncommon in mossy forest (1550 - 1750 m), and absent in disturbed lowland forest (475 - 900 m) on Mt. Isarog, southern Luzon, and also in montane forest at 925 m elevation in Balbalasang, Kalinga
Province.
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
endemic to the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Camiguin
Camiguin
Camiguin is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is the second-smallest province both in population and land area after Batanes...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It has large ears and eyes, a long tail and rusty-brown fur, and it feeds mostly on insects
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
and seeds
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
. This description is based on mice captured during a biological survey conducted in 1994 and 1995 high on the steep slopes of one of the island's volcanoes
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
.
In April, 2006, the new mammal, a Philippine forest mouse, now identified as Apomys camiguinensis was captured on the steep slopes of a volcano of Camiguin
Camiguin
Camiguin is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is the second-smallest province both in population and land area after Batanes...
during a biological survey by Heaney and Tabaranza. In 2002, Heaney, Tabaranza, and Eric Rickart (from the Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
Museum of Natural History), described a different species of forest-living rodent, Bullimus gamay, from Mt. Timpoong, the same mountain where the new mouse was collected. A frog (Oreophryne nana) named in 1967 had been thought to be the only vertebrate restricted to the island prior to the surveys by Heaney and Tabaranza. The scientists' research was described in the April 5 issue of Fieldiana: Zoology, a scientific journal about biodiversity research published by The Field Museum. It is endemically distributed to Dinagat (FMNH), Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
(Benguet
Benguet
Benguet is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is La Trinidad and borders, clockwise from the south, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya....
[USNM], Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte and Quezon to the north, and Albay to the south...
[FMNH], and Isabela [FMNH] provinces) and Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
(FMNH). It is abundant in primary montane forest (1125 - 1350 m), uncommon in mossy forest (1550 - 1750 m), and absent in disturbed lowland forest (475 - 900 m) on Mt. Isarog, southern Luzon, and also in montane forest at 925 m elevation in Balbalasang, Kalinga
Kalinga
Kalinga is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north...
Province.
External links and sources
- Two new species discovered, bolster case for Philippine conservation,Haribon FoundationHaribon FoundationThe Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, simply known as Haribon Foundation, is a membership organization dedicated to the conservation of Philippine biodiversity. It aims to build a constituency for environmental issues that will prioritize conservation actions on habitats...
. - Aseanbiodiversity.org