Rediscovery of the Dinagat Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat Crateromys australis (Musser, Heaney & Rabor, 1985) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) from Dinagat Island, Philippines.
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The Dinagat Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat Crateromys australis belongs to the group of Cloud Rats, arboreal and folivorous nocturnal rodents endemic to the forests of the Philippines. The species, endemic to a small island Dinagat in the Philippines, was discovered and captured in 1975. Since then, despite repeated surveys, no specimen was found until 2012. It is listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN Red List and was even believed to be extinct. Finally, Dinagat Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat was rediscovered in January 2012 and its presence confirmed on Dinagat Island. The rediscovery of this species underlines the local, national and international importance of Dinagat Island (or Dinagat-Siargao cluster of islands), as the most distinct subcentre of species endemism within the Greater Mindanao Faunal Region. Unfortunately, only one locally protected area exists on the whole island and none of the last remaining native forest habitats on Dinagat are currently protected at the national level. Mining and habitat destruction constitute a serious threat to this species. We believe that this rediscovery may provide some important and timely impetus and urgency to the need for a more rational, scientifically-based and island-wide, development program on Dinagat by also incorporating an island/region-wide biodiversity conservation strategy that would help ensure the effective, longer-term protection of the larger majority of the few remaining natural habitats in this region.
ÂArticle Details
Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT. This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership. Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.
References
Brandon-Jones, D., A.A. Eudey, T. Geissmann, C.P. Groves, D.J. Melnick, J.C. Morales, M. Shekelle & C.B. Stewart (2004). Asian primate classification. International Journal of Primatology 25: 97–164;http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:IJOP.0000014647.18720.32
Brown, R.M., J.A. Weghorst, K.V. Olson, M.R.M. Duya, A.J. Barley, L.V. Duya, M. Shekelle, I. Neri-Arboleda, J.A. Esselstyn, N.J. Dominy, P.S. Ong, G.L. Moritz, A. Luczon, M.L.D. Diesmos, A.C. Diesmos & C.D. Siler (2014). Conservation genetics of the Philippine Tarsier: cryptic genetic variation restructures conservation priorities for an island archipelago primate. PLoS ONE 9:e104340; http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0104340
Conservation International Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau &
Haribon Foundation (2006). Priority Sites for Conservation in the Philippines: Key Biodiversity Areas. Quezon City, Philippines.
Heaney, L.R., M.L. Dolar, D.S. Balete, J.A. Esselstyn, E.A. Rickart & J.L. Sedlock (2010). Synopsis of the Philippine mammals. The Field Museum of Natural History and The Philippine Departement of Environmental and Natural Resources, Protected areas and Wildlife Bureau, Chicago.
Mallari, N.A.D., B.R. Tabaranza & M.J. Crosby (2001). Key Conservation Sites in The Philippines. Bookmark, Makati City, 485pp.
Musser, G.G., L.R. Heaney & D.S. Rabor (1985). Philippine rats: Description of a new species of Crateromys from Dinagat Island. American Museum Novitates 2821: 1–25.
Oliver, W.L.R. & C.R. Cox (1990) Distribution and status of the Philippine Cloud Rats. Unpublished Report, 33pp.
Oliver, W.L.R., C.R. Cox, P.C. Gonzales & L.R. Heaney (1993) Cloud rats in the Philippines - preliminary report on distribution and status. Oryx 27: 41–48.
Ong, P.S., L.E. Afuang & R.G. Rosell-Ambal (eds.) (2002). Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priorities: A Second Iteration of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Play. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Conservation International Philippines, Biodiversity Conservation Program, University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies, and Foundation for the Philippine Environment, Quezon City, Philippines.
Ong, P., B.Tabaranza, G.Rosell-Ambal, D. Balete & L. Heaney (2008).Crateromys australis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3.http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/5499/0
Pedregosa-Hospodarsky, M. (1990). Conservation of the Dinagat tarsier and other threatened and endemic species of Dinagat Island, Dinagat Province, Philippines - distribution and status survey.Unpublished report, 33pp.
Pedregosa-Hospodarsky, M. (2009). Conservation of the Dinagat Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta carbonarius) and other threatened endemic mammals of Dinagat Island, Dinagat Province, Philippines. Distribution and status survey. Final report.