Soft-furred rat

The soft-furred rat, Millardia meltada, also called the soft-furred metad, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae that is native to South Asia. It occurs in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, at altitudes from sea level up to 2,670 metres. It lives in tropical and sub-tropical forests and grasslands, and also makes use of irrigated croplands and other cultivated areas. The head and body measure 13 to 16 centimetres and the tail 12 to 14 centimetres. The fur is yellowish to brownish gray above and whitish on the underparts, fine and dense and shorter on the belly, and the naked tail is blackish above and paler beneath. Males are larger than females.