Australian swamp rat
| Australian swamp rat | |
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| File:Rattus lutreolus - Gould.jpg | |
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R. lutreolus
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| Binomial name | |
| Rattus lutreolus (Gray, 1841)
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The Australian swamp rat also known as the Eastern swamp rat[1] (Rattus lutreolus) is a species of rat occurring around the coast of south and eastern Australia. It occurs in lowland country from Fraser Island down the coast of New South Wales and Victoria to the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. A subspecies velutinus occurs in Tasmania, and another subspecies lacus lives in isolated patches of high altitude rainforest near Atherton, Queensland.
The swamp rat grows to have a body length of approximately 160 millimetres (6 in) with a tail length of approximately 110 mm (4.3 in) and a mass of about 120 grams (4 oz). It has a stocky build with black-brown fur and black feet.[2] Its ventral surface is cream to brown color and it has small ears nearly concealed by hair. The tail is dark grey, scaly and sparsely haired.[3]
The preferred habitat of the swamp rat is thick vegetation along watercourses and in swamps. Dense vegetation of islands above the high water mark is also suitable.[2] They can also live in area of coastal heath, dune scrub, grasslands and sedgelands. The rats will form tunnels through the vegetation through which they can move. Area prone to fire tend not to be recolonised.[4]
Behaviour is partly nocturnal and diurnal so it is active during the day and at night. The diet is vegetarian;[4] consisting of reeds, seeds and swamp grass stems.[2]
The swamp rat can be seen at places like the Healesville Sanctuary, where they live in the grounds.
References
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<references />, or <references group="..." />- Baillie (1996). Rattus lutreolus. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
- A Field Guide to Mammals of Australia Peter Menkhorst & Frank Knight ISBN 0-19-550870-X
