Mountain Giant Sunda Rat
Encyclopedia
The Mountain Giant Sunda Rat, Sundamys infraluteus (also known as the Giant Mountain Rat or Giant Rat of Sumatra) is a large rat
, around 480 to 640 millimeters (19 to 25 inches) in total length (230 to 290 millimeters [9-11.5 inches] excluding the tail). It weighs 230 to 600 grams. This makes it somewhat larger than a Norway rat, which averages around 300 grams, with 500 grams being unusually large. The rat is mostly dark brown with paler brownish specks. Its long fur is covered with even longer guard hairs. The tail is uniformly brown.
and Malaysia. The species is omnivorous.
refers to a "giant rat of Sumatra" in The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
, but it is unknown if he was referring specifically to this species.
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
, around 480 to 640 millimeters (19 to 25 inches) in total length (230 to 290 millimeters [9-11.5 inches] excluding the tail). It weighs 230 to 600 grams. This makes it somewhat larger than a Norway rat, which averages around 300 grams, with 500 grams being unusually large. The rat is mostly dark brown with paler brownish specks. Its long fur is covered with even longer guard hairs. The tail is uniformly brown.
Habitat and habits
This species lives in forested mountains, between 700 and 2400 meters. It is found in southeastern Asia, especially IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Malaysia. The species is omnivorous.
Other information
Arthur Conan DoyleArthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
refers to a "giant rat of Sumatra" in The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short-stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.- Plot summary :...
, but it is unknown if he was referring specifically to this species.