Melomys cervinipes (Rodentia: Muridae)

Callaway, Wendy A; Turner, Ayla A; Croshaw, Oscar B; Ferguson, Jade A; Julson, Zachary J N; Volp, Trevor M.; Kerr, Sarah E.; Rymer, Tasmin L.

doi:10.1093/mspecies/sey015

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 125 publications

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“…This study represents one of the first to explore these longer‐term relationships in a native Australian rodent. These medium‐sized rodents (72.9 ± 12 g; Callaway et al, 2018) are abundant in multiple forest types along the eastern coast of Australia (Moore & Burnett, 2008) and are also found in disturbed forest edges and fragments (Goosem & Marsh, 1997). This suggests that while living in a structurally and biologically complex environment, and utilising 3‐dimensional vertical space, mosaic‐tailed rats regularly encounter novel conditions and environmental challenges, and should therefore rely on high levels of exploration to be capable problem solvers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploration influences problem solving in the fawn‐footed mosaic‐tailed rat (Melomys cervinipes)

Rowell

Rymer

2021

Ethology

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The relationship between an animal's personality and its problem solving ability has become a popular topic of investigation. However, results are conflicting, suggesting that these relationships may be species-specific. We investigated these relationships in a native Australian rodent, the fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys cervinipes).We predicted that more exploratory and less anxious mosaic-tailed rats would be better problem solvers (e.g. faster to solve the problem) as they would interact with the puzzles more and would be more willing to engage with the task. We assessed personality across two contexts (exploration in an open field and novel object test, and anxiety under simulated predation risk in a light/dark box) and over time (three repetitions). We measured problem solving using two food-baited puzzle boxes (matchbox and cylinder), a Trixie Dog Activity Board with three problems (pillars, tiles and levers) and an obstruction task. Individual mosaic-tailed rats showed consistent individual differences in personality, but not problem solving ability. Furthermore, we found a positive relationship between personality and problem solving ability, with more exploratory individuals solving more problems, and solving problems faster, than less exploratory individuals. Exploratory individuals could be better problem solvers because they are more willing to interact with objects and are less neophobic than less exploratory individuals. However, less exploratory individuals still persist in the population, possibly due to differences in cognitive abilities, such as discrimination or recognition, that allow them to compensate for poorer problem solving abilities.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploration influences problem solving in the fawn‐footed mosaic‐tailed rat (Melomys cervinipes)

Rowell

Rymer

2021

Ethology

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“…(2015a: 1) in error for Rattus lutreolus (M. Aghazadeh, pers. comm., 7 July 2018); Melomys cervinipes (Gould) (Bhaibulaya, 1979: 8; Smales et al ., 2004: 69; Callaway et al ., 2018: 140). Intermediate hosts . ‘ Helicarion sp.’ experimentally (Bhaibulaya, 1975: 7).…”

Section: Explanatory Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Annotated catalogue of species of Angiostrongylus and the related genera Gallegostrongylus, Rodentocaulus and Stefanskostrongylus (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea, Angiostrongylidae)

Cowie

2019

J. Helminthol.

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This catalogue is concerned with the closely related angiostrongylid generaAngiostrongylus,Gallegostrongylus,RodentocaulusandStefanskostrongylus. Three species,Angiostrongylus cantonensis,A. costaricensisandA. vasorum, have attracted most attention because of their importance in human and domestic animal disease. Many of the remaining species are poorly known and the number of valid taxa is unclear. The catalogue lists all nomenclaturally available and unavailable genus-group and species-group names that have been applied to the above genera and the species included in them, indicating their current nomenclatural status and providing the rigorous nomenclatural basis for future work. The catalogue lists 14 published and nomenclaturally available genus-group names, with the above four treated as valid, the other ten being junior synonyms. There are 42 published species-group names: 36 are valid, two are junior synonyms, four are nomenclaturally unavailable. One additional species, described inChabaudistrongylus(synonym ofAngiostrongylus), is listed asincertae sedisin Angiostrongylidae. Also listed are two unpublished collection names. The catalogue provides bibliographic details for all published names, and for available names provides locations of type material, details of type localities, geographic distributions and details of type and other hosts, both definitive and intermediate, to the extent known. The catalogue is a work of nomenclature, not a revisionary taxonomic work. No new names or new combinations are proposed. The apparently new family-group synonymy of Cardionematinae with Angiostrongylidae is introduced, as are four genus-group synonymies, three withAngiostrongylusand one withStefaskostrongylus.

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“…We investigated whether behaviours associated with exploratory behaviour and activity varied in fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rats from two habitats. Mosaic-tailed rats are medium-sized (72.9 ± 12 g; Callaway et al 2018) murid rodents (Wood 1971) endemic to forest habitats along the eastern coast of Australia (Callaway et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…activity depending on moonlight and time of year (Wood 1971), and use olfactory cues to identify and avoid predators (Hayes et al 2006;Paulling et al 2019). Natural predators include feral cats (Felis catus), dingos (Canis lupus dingo), spotted tail (Dasyurus maculatus) and northern quolls (D. hallucatus), sooty (Tyto tenebricosa) and lesser sooty owls (T. multipunctata), southern boobooks (Ninox boobook), Amethystine (Morelia amethistina), carpet (M. spilota variegata) and spotted pythons (Antaresia maculosa) and red-bellied black snakes (Pseudechis porphyriacus; Callaway et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Much of the night is spent actively foraging, and mosaic-tailed rats use the arboreal environment extensively for this purpose, although they also forage on the ground (Rader and Krockenberger 2006). They are generalists, feeding primarily on foliage and vegetation, but will eat fruits, nuts, seeds, fungi and flowers, and may eat insects if necessary (Callaway et al 2018). Interestingly, mosaic-tailed rats can also innovate, solving novel problems to access resources (Rowell and Rymer 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Habitat and sex effects on behaviour in fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rats (Melomys cervinipes)

2021

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Habitat complexity reflects resource availability and predation pressure – both factors that influence behaviour. We investigated whether exploratory behaviour and activity varied in fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rats (Melomys cervinipes) from two habitats that were categorised differently based on vegetation. We conducted vegetation surveys to determine structural complexity and vegetation cover, confirming that an abandoned hoop-pine (Araucaria cunninghami) plantation forest was structurally less complex, with lower vegetation cover than a variable secondary rainforest. We then tested mosaic-tailed rats from both sites in four behavioural tests designed to assess exploratory and activity behaviours (open field, novel object, light-dark box, acoustic startle), predicting that rats from the less structurally complex habitat would be less exploratory, and show lower activity. Our results provide some evidence for a context-specific trade-off between exploratory behaviour and predation risk in rats from the abandoned hoop pine plantation, as rats were less active, and showed a freezing strategy in the light-dark box. We also found context-specific sex differences in behaviour in response to a novel object and sound. Our results suggest that small-scale variation in habitat structure and complexity, as well as sex differences, is associated with variation in behaviour, most likely through effects on resource availability and/or predation risk.

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Melomys cervinipes (Rodentia: Muridae)

Cited by 12 publications

References 125 publications

Exploration influences problem solving in the fawn‐footed mosaic‐tailed rat (Melomys cervinipes)

Exploration influences problem solving in the fawn‐footed mosaic‐tailed rat (Melomys cervinipes)

Annotated catalogue of species of Angiostrongylus and the related genera Gallegostrongylus, Rodentocaulus and Stefanskostrongylus (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea, Angiostrongylidae)

Habitat and sex effects on behaviour in fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rats (Melomys cervinipes)

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