Rattus exulans (Peale 1848)

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Global Range: Native to southeastern Asia, west to eastern Bangladesh, and many islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean (Roberts 1991; Musser and Carleton, in Wilson and Reeder 2005); most Pacific insular occurrences result from inadvertent or intentional introduction or possibly natural rafting (Musser and Carleton, in Wilson and Reeder 2005). Hawaii: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, Kahoolawe, Hawaii, Kure Atoll, Popoia, Mokumanu, Kaula; Niihau?

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Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans) have an extensive distribution from Southeast Asia and New Guinea through the Pacific. They spread to several thousands islands in the western and central Pacific Ocean through the colonizing efforts of the Polynesian people. The rats were carried along on the large sea-going canoes with pigs, dogs and jungle cocks.

Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Introduced , Native ); oriental (Introduced , Native ); australian (Introduced ); oceanic islands (Introduced )

  • Tobin, M. 1994. Polynesian Rats. Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage: 121-124.
  • Walton, D., J. Brooks, K. Thinn, U. Tun. 1980. Reproduction in Rattus exulans in Rangoon, Berma. Mammalia, 44/3: 349-360.
  • Dwyer, P. 1978. A study of Rattus exulans in the New Guinea highlands. Australian Wildlife Research, 5/2: 221-248.
  • Masaharu, M., L. Kau-Hung, H. Masashi, L. Liang-Kong. 2001. New records of Polynesial Rat Rattus exulans (Mammalia:Rodentia) from Taiwan and the Ryukyus. Zoological Studies, 40/4: 299-304.
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National Distribution:
Canada

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Unknown

United States

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

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Sourcehttp://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Rattus+exulans

Type for Rattus exulans
Catalog Number: USNM 239245
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Mammals
Sex/Stage: Female; Adult
Preparation: Skin; Skull
Collector(s): R. McGregor & A. Celestino
Year Collected: 1903
Locality: Cagayancillo, Cagayan Island, Palawan Province, Philippines, Asia

  • Type: Hollister, N. 1913 Dec 31. Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 46: 322.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorThis image was obtained from the Smithsonian Institution. Unless otherwise noted, this image or its contents may be protected by international copyright laws.
Sourcehttp://collections.mnh.si.edu/search/mammals/?irn=7283488

Known prey organisms:

Rattus exulans preys on:
non-insect arthropods
Annelida
Arthropoda
Insecta

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

  • Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2006. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed February 16, 2011 at http://animaldiversity.org. http://www.animaldiversity.org
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Rights holder/AuthorCynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE
Sourcehttp://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/

Management Requirements: As in other RATTUS and MUS, few individuals living in cane fields survive harvest operations and escape to adjacent areas; however, ravine populations serve as source for recolonization of cane fields with new crop (Tomich 1970).

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Distribution:

广东,云南

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Rights holder/AuthorThe Biodiversity Committee of Chinese Academy of Sciences,2011, EOL China Regional Center
SourceNo source database.

Type for Rattus exulans
Catalog Number: USNM 144600
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Mammals
Sex/Stage: Male; Adult
Preparation: Skin; Skull
Collector(s): E. Mearns
Year Collected: 1907
Locality: Mount Mayon, Luzon, Albay Province, Philippines, Asia
Elevation (m): 1219

  • Type: Hollister, N. 1913 Dec 31. Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 46: 319.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorThis image was obtained from the Smithsonian Institution. Unless otherwise noted, this image or its contents may be protected by international copyright laws.
Sourcehttp://collections.mnh.si.edu/search/mammals/?irn=7252073

Kure Atoll: minimum population density in March (75/ha), maximum in September (185/ha); sharp decline winter-early summer (Wirtz 1972). In sugar cane fields in Hawaii, forages usually no more than 90 m from burrow, often much less (Nass 1977, Lindsey et al. 1973).

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/
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Sourcehttp://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Rattus+exulans

Polynesian rats are a major agricultural pest throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific region. Crops damaged by this species include root crops, cacao, pineapple, coconut, sugarcane, corn, and rice.

Negative Impacts: crop pest

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/Author©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Sourcehttp://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Rattus_exulans/
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith