矢鼠屬

Description

The target rat is so named because it has a number of long bristles projecting from its rump which resemble the shafts of arrows in a target. The synonym Mus sebastianus also refers to this, Saint Sebastian being an early Christian martyr said to have been tied to a tree and shot with arrows. The fur is dark reddish-brown and the tail very long.

分布及习性

矢鼠属原生于中非西部的潮湿热带雨林，分布范围从多哥到贝宁及尼日利亚，然后到刚果盆地，再往东到乌干达西部。
It occurs in swampy areas of forests and in gallery forests and beside streams. It has also been observed in secondary forests around villages and in banana plantations.

Ecology

The target rat is largely nocturnal and feeds on the ground on green vegetable material and fallen fruit, supplementing these with some insects. Little is known of the social organisation of this species but in Cameroon a group of thirteen was caught at one location in an oil palm plantation. This rat seems to breed at any time of year.

Status

The target rat has a wide range and is a common species. It is presumed to have a large population and no particular threats have been identified. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".