Australian Biological Resources Study

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CAVS: 1392

Species Rattus exulans (Peale, 1848)

Pacific Rat, Polynesian Rat

 

Generic Combinations

  • Rattus exulans (Peale, 1848).

 

Distribution

States

Queensland, Western Australia


Extra Distribution Information

Adele Is., WA, Murray Is., Qld, Norfolk Is., Indochina, Micronesia, Polynesia.

Introduced from SW Pacific.


IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IBRA

Qld, WA: Dampierland (DL)

Other Regions

Norfolk Island terrestrial & freshwater, Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater

Ecological Descriptors

Omnivore, peridomestic, terrestrial.

Extra Ecological Information

Diet mainly seeds, fruit, vegetable matter and insects, but known to take young birds and eggs.

 

General References

Aplin, K.P., Brown, P.R., Jacob, J., Krebs, C.J. & Singleton, G.R. 2004. Field Methods for Rodent Studies in Asia and the Pacific. ACIAR Monograph No. 100. Canberra : Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

Bunn, T.J. & Craig, T.J. 1989. Population cycles of Rattus exulans: population changes, diet, and food availability. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 16: 409-418

Dwyer, P.D. 1978. A study of Rattus exulans (Peale) (Rodentia: Muridae) in the New Guinea Highlands. Australian Wildlife Research 5: 221-248

Gemmeke, von H. & Niethammer, J. 1984. Zur Taxonomie der Gattung Rattus (Rodentia, Muridae). Zeitschrift fur Säugetierkunde 49: 104-116

Matisoo-Smith, E. & Robins, J.H. 2004. Origins and dispersals of Pacific peoples: evidence from mtDNA phylogenies of the Pacific rat. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 101: 9167-9172

Pasteur, N., Worms, J., Tohari, M. & Iskandar, D. 1982. Genetic differentiation in Indonesian and French rats of the subgenus Rattus. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 10: 191-196

Storer, T.I. (ed.) 1962. Pacific Island Rat Ecology Report of a study made on Ponape and adjacent islands 1955–1958. Bulletin of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum 225: 1-274

Taylor, J.M. & Horner, B.E. 1973. Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 98. Systematics of native Australian Rattus (Rodentia, Muridae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 150: 1-130

Watts, C.H.S. 1995. Pacific Rat Rattus exulans. 650 in Strahan, R. (ed.). The Mammals of Australia: The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Sydney : Reed New Holland 756 pp.

Watts, C.H.S. & Aslin, H.J. 1981. The Rodents of Australia. Sydney : Angus & Robertson xii 321 pp. 16 pls.

Wodzicki, K. & Taylor, R.H. 1984. Distribution and status of the polynesian rat Rattus exulans. Acta Zoologica Fennica 172: 99-101

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
15-Feb-2024 MURIDAE 10-Feb-2024 MODIFIED
04-Feb-2023 10-Dec-2010 MOVED
10-Dec-2010 10-Dec-2010 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)