Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Echinosorex gymnurus does not appear to be threatened currently.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
The diet if the gymnure is varied, though there is some debate about what food items are most important. It seems that the main component of the diet is terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates such as earthworms, insects, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, crabs and molluscs. Some aquatic vertebrates like frogs and fish are also eaten, as well as fruit.
Echinosorex gymnurus is found on the Malay Peninsula south of about 12 N and also on Borneo and Sumatra.
Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )
The habitat of moon rats is primary and secondary lowland forest, mangrove swamps, rubber plantations and other cultivated areas. They seem to prefer moist areas, often near streams, with thick ground vegetation.
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
The coarse hair of moon rats is white on the head and distal part of the tail and is black elsewhere. The hair on the scaly tail is sparse. The face has black spots near the eyes. White forms are known. The long, mobile nose has a groove on its underside from the tip to a point between the upper incisors. The body is long and narrow. The canines are larger than the adjacent teeth. Head and body length ranges from 260 to 460 mm and females tend to be larger than males.
Range mass: 0.5 to 1.4 kg.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Average basal metabolic rate: 2.816 W.
Breeding occurs throughout the year. Two litters per year, each averaging two young, is typical. Gestation is usually betwen 35 and 40 days.
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
Average birth mass: 14.5 g.
Average gestation period: 37 days.
Average number of offspring: 2.
The moonrat (Echinosorex gymnura) is a southeast Asian species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and gymnures). It is the only species in the genus Echinosorex. The moonrat is a fairly small, primarily carnivorous animal which, despite its name, is not closely related to rats or other rodents. The scientific name is sometimes given as Echinosorex gymnurus, but this is incorrect.[1]
The moonrat has a distinct pungent odor with strong ammonia content, different from the musky smell of carnivorans.[3] There are two subspecies: E. g. gymnura is found in Sumatra and the Thai-Malay Peninsula; E. g. alba is found in Borneo.[4] In the former the head and frontal half of the body are white or grey-white; the remaining is mainly black.[5] The latter subspecies is generally white (alba means white in Latin), with a sparse scattering of black hairs; it appears totally white from a distance. Those from western Borneo tend to have a greater proportion of black hairs than those from the east, but animals from Brunei appear intermediate.[4] Largely white E. g. gymnura also occur, but they are rare.[5]
Head and body length is 32–40 cm (13–16 in), tail length is 20–29 cm (7.9–11.4 in),[6] hind foot length is 6.5–7.5 cm (2.6–3.0 in) and weight is 870–1,100 g (1.92–2.43 lb).[5] The dental formula is 3.1.4.33.1.4.3 × 2 = 44.[4] It is possibly the largest member of the order Erinaceomorpha, although the European hedgehog likely weighs a bit more at 1,000 g (2.2 lb) and up to 2,000 g (4.4 lb).[7]
Moonrats inhabit most jungle terrain in southern Myanmar, Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. Although they are closely related to the short-tailed gymnure (Hylomys suillus) and to the hedgehog, full grown specimens more closely resemble large rats, with which they share similar habits and ecological niches.[8] In Borneo, they occur at many sites throughout the lowlands and up to 900 m in the Kelabit Highlands. They appear to be absent or rare in some localities, possibly due to a shortage of suitable food.
Moonrats are nocturnal and terrestrial, lying up under logs, roots or in abandoned burrows during the day. They inhabit moist forests including mangrove and swamp forests and often enter water.[2][5] In Borneo, they occur mainly in forests, but in peninsular Malaysia they are also found in gardens and plantations. They feed on earthworms and various small animals, mostly arthropods. The moonrat is a host of the acanthocephalan intestinal parasite Moniliformis echinosorexi.[9]
Moonrats release strong odours with a strong ammonia content to mark the edges of their territories and warn other moonrats to stay away with threatening hisses also to ward off predators. Adults live alone. When they are preparing to have young, they will make nests mostly from leaves. Females usually have two babies at one time.
The moonrat is an omnivore, known to eat a wide range of invertebrates—for example, worms, insects, crabs and other invertebrates found in moist areas. They will also eat fruit, and occasionally frogs or fish.
The lifespan of the moonrat is up to five years.[10]
The moonrat is not considered a threatened species. The main threat to the moonrat is deforestation activities due to human development for agriculture, plantation, and commercial logging. Moreover, other demands from Penan in Borneo for food and traditional medicinal contribute to decreasing numbers of moonrats in Borneo.[8] The species is also found in protected areas, including Matang National Park and Kuching Wetlands National Park. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.[2]
The Penan in Borneo used to trade moonrat meat for other foods and goods among themselves and for money.[10]
The moonrat (Echinosorex gymnura) is a southeast Asian species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and gymnures). It is the only species in the genus Echinosorex. The moonrat is a fairly small, primarily carnivorous animal which, despite its name, is not closely related to rats or other rodents. The scientific name is sometimes given as Echinosorex gymnurus, but this is incorrect.