''Leptomys'' is a genus of rodent endemic to
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...
. It is considered part of the New Guinea Old Endemics, meaning it was part of the first wave of
murine rodent
The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. Members of this subfamily are called murines. In terms of species richness, this subfamily is larger than all mammal families exc ...
s to colonize the island. Leptomys are seen to have minimal adaptations to their aquatic life style. Elongated hind feet accompanied by elongated centre toes suggest the ability to leap. The third molar which is lost is many rodents is retained but smaller in size. Small eyes and ears can be seen amongst its velvety soft fur.
Species
* ''
Leptomys arfakensis
''Leptomys arfakensis'' is a species of rodent in the family of Muridae
The Muridae, or murids, are the largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 1,383 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils foun ...
''
Musser, Helgen & Lunde, 2008
*
Long-footed water rat, ''Leptomys elegans''
*
Ernst Mayr's water rat, ''Leptomys ernstmayri''
* ''
Leptomys paulus''
Musser, Helgen & Lunde, 2008
*
Fly River water rat, ''Leptomys signatus''
References
*Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. pp. 894–1531 ''in'' Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
*Musser G.G., Helgen K.M., and Lunde D.P. 2008. Systematic review of New Guinea Leptomys (Muridae, Murinae) with descriptions of two new species. AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES, 3624:1-60.
Rodent genera
Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas
{{Murinae-stub