Rhizomys sinensis
Taxonomy [top]
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANIMALIA | CHORDATA | MAMMALIA | RODENTIA | SPALACIDAE |
| Scientific Name: | Rhizomys sinensis | |||
| Species Authority: | Gray, 1831 | |||
Common Name/s:
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| Taxonomic Notes: | This is generally considered to be a species complex, which possibly contains a number of restricted range species (K. Aplin, D. Lunde and G. Musser pers. comm.). | |||
Assessment Information [top]
| Red List Category & Criteria: | Least Concern ver 3.1 | |||
| Year Published: | 2008 | |||
| Assessor/s: | Lunde, D., Aplin, K. & Musser, G. | |||
| Reviewer/s: | Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Chanson, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) | |||
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Justification: Listed as Least Concern because it is very widespread, has a presumed large population, and its populations are not declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. This is a species complex that will need to be reevaluated for conservation status once resolved. |
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| History: |
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Geographic Range [top]
| Range Description: | This species is found in southern China, northern Myanmar, and northern Viet Nam (Thorington and Hoffmann 2005). It may be present in Lao PDR, however, the range in this country needs to be confirmed. Allen (1938) gave the elevational range of this species as 1,219-3,962 m asl. |
| Countries: |
Native:
China (Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang); Myanmar; Viet Nam
Presence uncertain:
Lao People's Democratic Republic
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| Range Map: | Click here to open the map viewer and explore range. |
Population [top]
| Population: | It is common in some parts of its range, for instance it is considered to be a plantation crop pest species in China (Ken Aplin pers. comm.). |
| Population Trend: |
Unknown
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Habitat and Ecology [top]
| Habitat and Ecology: | This species may be largely confined to the bamboo belt of montane forest (Lunde et al. 2006). It has been recorded from plantations in some parts of its range. It is a burrow-dwelling species (Smith and Xie 2008). Predators include the red panda (MacClintock 1988) and the snow leopard (Johnson et al. 1993). It has moderate tolerance to human disturbance (Lunde et al. 2006). |
| Systems: | Terrestrial |
Threats [top]
| Major Threat(s): | The species is heavily harvested for food in some parts of its range. |
Conservation Actions [top]
| Conservation Actions: | This species occurs in Niumulin, Wuyishan, Nanling, Heishidingkuoyelin, Dayaoshanshuiyuanlin (Guangxi), Daozhendashahe, Xishuizhongyaredaisenlin, Fanjingshan (Guizhou), Maolan, Shennongjia, Houhe, Taoyuandong, Dongdongtinghu (Hunan), Mangshan, Poyanghuhouniao, Yanquan, Taohongling, Jinggangshan, Taibaishan, Foping, Wanglang, Wolong, Jinfoshan, Ailaoshan, Changshanerhai, Tongbiguan, Wawushan, Nandongtihu Shidi and Shuiqin, Xiaoxi, Meihualutiebu, Nanjingnanyaredaiyulin (CSIS 2008), and Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserves (Liu et al. 2005) and may be present in additional protected areas. Further studies are needed into the distribution, taxonomy, and impacts of exploitation on the population. In China, this species has been regionally Red Listed as Least Concern (Wang and Xie 2004). |
Bibliography [top]
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Allen, G. M. 1938. The mammals of China and Mongolia Part I. Natural History of Central China, pp. 1-620. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. China Species Information Service. 2008. Rhizomys sinensis. Available at: http://www.chinabiodiversity.com; http://www.baohu.org. (Accessed: May 27). Corbet, G. B. and Hill, J. E. 1992. Mammals of the Indo-Malayan Region: A Systematic Review. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Dao, V. T. and Cao, V. S. 1990. Six new Vietnamese rodents. Mammalia 54(2): 233-238. He, X. R. 1984. A preliminary observation on the structure of the tunnel system of the Chinese bamboo rat (Rhizomys sinensis). Acta Theriologica Sinica 4: 196-206. Johnson, K. G., Wei, W., Reid, D. G. and Jinchu, H. 1993. Food habits of Asiatic leopards (Panthera pardus fusea) in Wolong Reserve, Sichuan, China. Journal of Mammalogy 74: 646-650. Liu, S., Sun, Z., Ran, J., Liu, Y., Fu, J., Cai, Y. and Lei, K. 2005. Mammalian survey of Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province. Acta Theriologica Sinica 25(3): 273-281. Lunde, D., Aplin, K. and Musser, G. 2006. Rhizomys sinensis. Available at: http://www.ieaitaly.org/samd/. (Accessed: May 1). MacClintock, D. 1988. Red Pandas: A Natural History. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, USA. Smith, A. and Xie, Y. 2008. The Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Thorington Jr., R. W. and Hoffmann, R. S. 2005. Family Sciuridae. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reader (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 754-818. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA. Wang, S. and Xie, Y. 2004. China Species Red List. Vol. 1 Red List. Higher Education Press, Beijing, China. Wang, Y. X. 2003. A Complete Checklist of Mammal Species and Subspecies in China (A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference). China Forestry Publishing House, Beijing, China. |
| Citation: | Lunde, D., Aplin, K. & Musser, G. 2008. Rhizomys sinensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012. |
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