Maxomys
Encyclopedia
Maxomys is a genus of mice, widespread in Southeast Asia
. They are mid-sized rodents, similar to rat
s, that live on the ground of tropical rainforest
s. There they build nests, padded with fallen leaves from trees. They feed on roots, fallen fruit, and other plants, as well as insects. All species are shy and avoid food from humans.
The genus Maxomys was originally considered a subgenus
of Rattus, the rat genus. When it became established as its own genus in the 1960s, Maxomys was often combined with the genera Niviventer
and Leopoldamys
. In the currently accepted taxonomy, Musser, Marshall, and Boeadi established Maxomys in 1979.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. They are mid-sized rodents, similar to rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, that live on the ground of tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
s. There they build nests, padded with fallen leaves from trees. They feed on roots, fallen fruit, and other plants, as well as insects. All species are shy and avoid food from humans.
The genus Maxomys was originally considered a subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
of Rattus, the rat genus. When it became established as its own genus in the 1960s, Maxomys was often combined with the genera Niviventer
Niviventer
Niviventer is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae. It contains the following species:* Anderson's White-bellied Rat, Niviventer andersoni* Brahma White-bellied Rat, Niviventer brahma...
and Leopoldamys
Leopoldamys
Leopoldamys is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae.It contains the following species:* Sundaic Mountain Long-tailed Giant Rat * Edwards's Long-tailed Giant Rat...
. In the currently accepted taxonomy, Musser, Marshall, and Boeadi established Maxomys in 1979.
List of species
Genus Maxomys - rajah rats- Mountain Spiny RatMountain Spiny RatThe Mountain Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Malaysia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys alticola Thomas, 1888, Borneo - Small Spiny RatSmall Spiny RatThe Small Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Malaysia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys baeodon Thomas, 1894, Borneo - Bartels's Spiny RatBartels's Spiny RatBartels's Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys bartelsii Jentink, 1910, Java - Dollman's Spiny RatDollman's Spiny RatDollman's Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys dollmani Ellerman, 1941, Sulawesi - Hellwald's Spiny RatHellwald's Spiny RatHellwald's Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys hellwaldii JentinkFredericus Anna Jentink-Biography:In 1875 he became curator at the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie in Leiden. In 1884 he followed Hermann Schlegel as director of the museum and as editor of the journal Notes from the Leyden Museum...
, 1878, Sulawesi - Sumatran Spiny RatSumatran Spiny RatThe Sumatran Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys hylomyoides Robinson and Kloss, 1916, Sumatra - Malayan Mountain Spiny RatMalayan Mountain Spiny RatThe Malayan Mountain Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Malaysia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys inas Bonhote, 1906, Malayan Peninsula - Fat-Nosed Spiny RatFat-Nosed Spiny RatThe Fat-nosed Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys inflatus Robinson and Kloss, 1916, Sumatra - Mo's Spiny RatMo's Spiny RatMo's Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Laos and Vietnam.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys moi Robinson and Kloss, 1922, Vietnam, Laos - Musschenbroek's Spiny RatMusschenbroek's Spiny RatMusschenbroek's Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys musschenbroekii Jentink, 1878, Sulawesi - Chestnut-Bellied Spiny RatChestnut-Bellied Spiny RatThe Chestnut-bellied Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.-References:* Helgen, K., Lunde, D., Ruedas, L. & Aplin, K. 2008. . Downloaded on 19 June 2009....
, Maxomys ochraceiventer Thomas, 1894, Borneo - Pagai Spiny RatPagai Spiny RatThe Pagai Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys pagensis Miller, 1903, Mentawai Islands - Palawan Spiny RatPalawan Spiny RatThe Palawan Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in the Philippines.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys panglima Robinson, 1921, Palawan and neighboring islands - Rajah Spiny RatRajah Spiny RatThe Rajah Spiny Rat also known as the Brown Spiny Rat is endemic to Thailand and Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and the adjacent islands . Corbet and Hill mention that Maxomys rats are often the most common rodent in the Southeast Asian tropical forest, from most of the Malay Archipelago to Sulawesi,...
, Maxomys rajah Thomas, 1894, Malayan Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo - Red Spiny RatRed Spiny RatThe Red Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys surifer Miller, 1900, Sumatra, Java, Borneo - Watts's Spiny RatWatts's Spiny RatWatts's Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found only in Indonesia.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
, Maxomys wattsi Musser, 1991, Sulawesi - Whitehead's Spiny RatWhitehead's Spiny RatWhitehead's Spiny Rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007.-External links:*...
, Maxomys whiteheadi Thomas, 1894, Malayan Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo
Further reading
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
- G.G. Musser, J.T. Marshall Jr. & B. Boeadi: Definition and contents of the Sundaic genus Maxomys (Rodentia, Muridae). In: Journal of Mammalogy 1979, Bd. 60, S. 592-606.