Gray tree rat

The gray tree rat, Lenothrix canus, is an arboreal rodent of the family Muridae and the only species in its genus, Lenothrix. It lives in the forests of Indonesia and Malaysia, with records from peninsular Malaysia, Penang Island, Tuangku Island and the Borneo states of Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan, in wooded habitats at altitudes of up to 550 metres. The head and body measure roughly 165 to 220 millimetres, with a tail of 190 to 270 millimetres that is dark at the base and white near the tip. The dense, woolly fur is free of spines, grayish brown or gray above and white or buffish white below, and the broad hind feet carry claws on every digit. It is nocturnal, spends most of its time in trees and bushes and feeds mainly on fruit. Described by Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. in 1903, it is common, tolerates disturbed habitat including secondary forest and rubber plantations, and is rated Least Concern by the IUCN. Molecular data link it to the white-bellied rats of the genus Niviventer, though its exact affinities remain unclear.