22803_v1224132710

Uromys imperator

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
ANIMALIA CHORDATA MAMMALIA RODENTIA MURIDAE

Scientific Name: Uromys imperator
Species Authority: (Thomas, 1888)
Common Name/s:
English – Emperor Rat

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria: Critically Endangered   D   ver 3.1
Year Assessed: 2008
Assessor/s Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Allison, A., James, R. & Bonaccorso, F.
Evaluator/s: Lamoreux, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) & Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority)
Justification:
Listed as Critically Endangered because it has not been recorded with certainty since three specimens were collected between 1886 and 1888. Anecdotal information suggests that the species survived until the 1960s. This species is quite possibly extinct (Possibly Extinct candidate), however, Guadalcanal has not been adequately surveyed. Should this species still exist, it is almost certain to be very few in number.
History:
2002 – Extinct (IUCN 2002)
1996 – Endangered (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description: This species is known from three specimens collected by Charles Woodford between 1886 and 1888, at Aola, northern Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (Flannery 1995).
Countries:
Presence uncertain:
Solomon Islands
Range Map:
(click map to view full version)
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Population [top]

Population: It is known only from three specimens collected between 1886 and 1888. Anecdotal information suggests that the species survived into the 1960s (Flannery 1995). Guadalcanal has not been adequately surveyed for this species (K. Helgen pers. comm.).
Population Trend: Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology: It seems as though this was a largely terrestrial species that was at one point found throughout much of Guadalcanal, including the dry northern lowlands and areas close to the coast. Later reports suggest that the species became restricted to mossy montane forest (Flannery 1995).
Systems: Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s): The reasons for the decline and possible extinction of this species are not known. It may have been subject to overhunting and loss of suitable habitat; or competition, predation, and/or disease transmission from introduced species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions: Future surveys of Guadalcanal should be familiar with this species so that any remnant populations can be identified.
Citation: Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Allison, A., James, R. & Bonaccorso, F. 2008. Uromys imperator. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 02 December 2008.
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