Malabar spiny dormouse
The Malabar spiny dormouse (Platacanthomys lasiurus) is a species of muroid rodent endemic to the Western Ghats of India.About the size of a brown rat, this arboreal species lives in tree holes in dense forest habitats in a small family group.They are distinguishable from other species in the area by their bushy tuft tip to the tail and the spiny fur on the back.[4] The genus name is derived from the flattened (platy-) spines (Greek acantha), while mus refers to a mouse.[9] The exact phylogenetic relations of Platacanthomys have not been examined using sequence based approaches although Typhlomys has been confirmed to belong within the Muroid clade.[3] The species is believed to feed on pepper in plantations, but trapping surveys suggest they are mainly restricted to undisturbed forest habitats.
MioceneConservation statusVulnerableIUCN 3.1Scientific classificationEukaryotaAnimaliaChordataMammaliaRodentiaPlatacanthomyidaeBinomial namemuroid rodentWestern Ghatsdormousebrown ratSclaterMalabarTyphlomysOotacamundCoonoorEdward BlythIUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesMyomorphaAnomalomyidaeDipodoideaDipodidaeAllactaginaeAllactagaAllactodipusPygeretmusScarturusCardiocraniinaeCardiocraniusSalpingotulusSalpingotusDipodinaeEremodipusJaculusStylodipusParadipodiniParadipusEuchoreutinaeEuchoreutesSimimyidaeSminthidaeSicistaZapodidaeEozapusNapaeozapusMuroideaArmintomyidaeArmintomysPlatacanthomysSpalacidaeMyospalacinaeEospalaxMyospalaxRhizomyinaeBrachyrhizomysCannomysRhizomysTachyoryctesSpalacinaeNannospalaxSpalaxEumuroidaCalomyscidaeCalomyscusCricetidaeArvicolinaeArvicoliniArvicolaMimomysClethrionomyiniAlticolaCaryomysClethrionomysCraseomysEothenomysDicrostonychiniDicrostonyxPredicrostonyxEllobiusiniBramusEllobiusLaguriniEolagurusLagurusLemminiLemmusMyopusSynaptomysMicrotiniAlexandromysChionomysHyperacriusLasiopodomysLemmiscusMicrotusMictomicrotusNeodonProedromysStenocraniusVolemysOndatriniNeofiberOndatraPliophenacomyiniArborimusPhenacomysPliomyiniDinaromysPliomysCricetinaeAllocricetulusCansumysCricetulodonCricetulusCricetusMesocricetusNothocricetulusPhodopusTscherskiaUrocricetusDemocricetodontinae