Flores Long-nosed Rat
Encyclopedia
The Flores Long-nosed Rat, also known as Paula’s Long-nosed Rat, (Paulamys naso) is a species of rodent
endemic to Flores Island
, Indonesia
. This species was first described from subfossil
fragments in 1981 and a living specimen was reported from the montane
forest of western Flores in 1991. It was recorded as common between 1,000 and 2,000 meters on the volcanic mountain Gunung Ranakah, but is believed to be threatened by habitat destruction
. It is the only known member of the genus Paulamys.
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
endemic to Flores Island
Flores
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1.831.000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese for "flowers".Flores is located east of Sumbawa...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. This species was first described from subfossil
Subfossil
Subfossil refers to remains whose fossilization process is not complete, either for lack of time or because the conditions in which they were buried were not optimal for fossilization....
fragments in 1981 and a living specimen was reported from the montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
forest of western Flores in 1991. It was recorded as common between 1,000 and 2,000 meters on the volcanic mountain Gunung Ranakah, but is believed to be threatened by habitat destruction
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
. It is the only known member of the genus Paulamys.