Uromys vika

The Vangunu giant rat (Uromys vika), locally known as the vika, is a giant arboreal species of rodent in the family Muridae.[2][3] The rat was discovered in the island of Vangunu in the Solomon Islands in 2015,[4] after years of searching based on local stories, and described in 2017.[5] It was identified as a new species on the basis of its skull, skeleton and a detailed DNA analysis.[2] The single individual initially collected from a felled tree (Dillenia salomonensis) measured 46 cm long, weighed between 0.5 and 1.0 kg and had orange-brown fur.[2] Its diet is believed to include thick-shelled nuts like ngali nuts and coconuts,[4] and probably fruits.[2] The species is likely to be designated critically endangered, due to the small amount of forest habitat (about 80 km2 (31 sq mi)) remaining on the island and ongoing logging.[2][3]

Uromys vika
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Muridae
Genus: Uromys
Species:
U. vika
Binomial name
Uromys vika
Lavery & Judge, 2017

References
  1. "Uromys vika". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017. 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2019. Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered
  2. Young, E. (27 September 2017). "Giant, tree-dwelling rat discovered in Solomon Islands". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2017.22684.
  3. "Tree-dwelling, coconut-cracking giant rat discovered in Solomon Islands" (Press release). Field Museum. EurekaAlert!. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
  4. Choi, C. (26 September 2017), "Discovered: A Giant, Tree-Dwelling Rat that Munches Coconuts", Discover magazine, retrieved 2017-09-27
  5. Lavery, Tyrone H; Judge, Hikuna (2017), "A new species of giant rat (Muridae, Uromys) from Vangunu, Solomon Islands", Journal of Mammalogy, 98 (6): 1518–1530, doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyx116


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