The long-haired rat, Rattus villosissimus, is a rodent of the family Muridae native to Australia, also called the plague rat because its populations irrupt over vast areas. It has very long, coarse guard hairs over softer underfur and a generally light grey, speckled coat. Males average about 187 mm in length with a 150 mm tail and about 156 g in weight, while females are somewhat smaller. It lives in temperate, sub-tropical, desert and hummock grassland regions, shelters in dense vegetation or burrows, is nocturnal and spends most of its time at or below ground level. It eats mainly the stems, leaves and roots of grasses and herbs, with some seeds and insects. It breeds at any time of year when food is available, it is listed as a pest of agriculture in Western Australia, and it is preyed on by owls, kites, dingoes, cats and foxes.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleAgricultural or Structural Pest 1 Living or Extinct Activity Pattern Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
Source Long-haired rat (Wikipedia)
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Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Long-haired rat (Wikipedia)Lead, rangeQuote, Lead, range
The long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus), is a species of rodent in the family Muridae which is native to Australia.
Sources
1. Long-haired rat (Wikipedia)
Behaviour
Long-haired rats are nocturnal and their activities seem to be influenced by the amount of moonlight.
Diet
While they are largely herbivorous, the long-haired rat is thought, at times, to be carnivorous and even cannibalistic.
Status, pest of agriculture
It is however listed as a pest of agriculture under the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976 by the Western Australian Department of Resources and Food.
Behaviour, terrestrial
They are a very terrestrial species with the majority of an individual's activity being spent in and around their burrow and up to 80% of time being spent below ground.
Lead, population irruptions
The long-haired rat is well known for its population irruptions over vast areas of Australia which is the basis of its alternative common name, the plague rat.
Lead, range
The long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus), is a species of rodent in the family Muridae which is native to Australia.
In Group: Rodents And Lagomorphs, Lead, rodent
The long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus), is a species of rodent in the family Muridae which is native to Australia.
Child Taxon Of: Muridae, Lead, family
The long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus), is a species of rodent in the family Muridae which is native to Australia.
In Biome: Grassland, Habitat
Long-haired rats typically occur in temperate, sub-tropical, desert and hummock grasslands regions.
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