Black-tailed mosaic-tailed rat

The black-tailed mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys rufescens) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to the island of New Guinea.

Black-tailed mosaic-tailed rat
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Melomys
Species:	M. rufescens
Binomial name
Melomys rufescens (Alston, 1877)
Synonyms
M. gracilis (Thomas, 1906)

Names

It is known as alks in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea.[2]

References

1. Wright, D.; Singadan, R.; Seri, L.; Allison, A.; Aplin, K.; Helgen, K. (2008). "Melomys rufescens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T13133A3412794. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T13133A3412794.en.
2. Pawley, Andrew and Ralph Bulmer. 2011. A Dictionary of Kalam with Ethnographic Notes. Canberra. Pacific Linguistics.

• • Baillie, J. 1996. Melomys gracilis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 9 July 2007.
  • Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1380. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.