''Saxatilomys paulinae'' is a species of

murid In Sufism, a ''murīd'' (Arabic مُرِيد 'one who seeks') is a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment by ''sulūk'' (traversing a path) under a spiritual guide, who may take the title murshid, ''pir'' or '' shaykh''. A ''sālik'' or Suf ...

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are roden ...

native to central Laos and Vietnam, separated to a monotypic genus ''Saxatilomys''. It was first discovered in the

Khammouan Limestone National Biodiversity Conservation Area The Phou Hin Poun National Biodiversity Conservation Area, formerly known as the Khammouane Limestone National Biodiversity Conservation Area, is one of 21 National Biodiversity Conservation Areas of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Located i ...

in Khammouan Province, Laos, and also been found in the Vietnamese province of Quang Bình. It is the only known species in the genus ''Saxatilomys''. The genus name is derived from the Latin ''saxatilis'', meaning "among the rocks" and the Greek ''mys'', meaning mouse or rat.

Description

It resembles, and is likely closely related to, species in the genera '' Niviventer'' and ''

Chiromyscus Fea's tree rat or Indochinese chiromyscus (''Chiromyscus chiropus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Yunnan (China), eastern Myanmar, northern Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam ...

''. ''Saxatilomys'' is distinguished from these and other

Indomalayan The Indomalayan realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia. Also called the Oriental realm by biogeographers, Indomalaya spreads all over the Indi ...

genera by "semispinous dark gray upperparts, dark frosted gray underparts, large, extremely bulbous footpads, and a combination of derived and primitive cranial and dental traits".

Habitat

It is thought to be petricolous and has only been observed in forested, rocky

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...

habitats.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q19947185, from2=Q141405 Old World rats and mice Rodents of Laos Rodents of Vietnam Mammals described in 2005 Rodent genera Taxa named by Guy Musser