Platacanthomys lasiurus are herbivorous. In general, they eat fruits, grains, roots, seeds, and peppers. It is their ability to destroy large crops of pepper plants that has lead them to be called pepper rats.
(Grzimek, 1975; Nowak, 1995)
Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore , Granivore )
The spines on P. lasiurus's back are very useful anti-predator devices. It has been reported that cats will not try to eat them. Their nocturnal habits also protect them from some predators. Little information on natural predators or anti-predator behaviors is available.
(Grzimek, 1975)
Platacanthomys lasiurus have a reddish-brown upper body and a whitish under belly. The fur on the back is interspersed with broad, flat, stiff spines. The tail is only furred at the tip and resembles a brush; it is generally a darker color than the body, though it does lighten at the tip. The tail, ranging from 75 to 100 mm in length, is usually slightly shorter than the body length, which ranges from 130 to 212 mm. Platacanthomys lasiurus have small eyes and ears and a pointed muzzle. Average mass is 75 g.
Platacanthomys lasiurus differ from true dormice (Family Gliridae) in that they have only 3 cheekteeth, as opposed to the 4 that true dormice have. The cheekteeth are high crowned.
Average mass: 75 g.
Range length: 130 to 212 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Average mass: 75 g.
A wild born female lived for 20 months in captivity. Lifespan in the wild is unknown.
(Nowak, 1995)
Average lifespan
Sex: female
Status: captivity: 1.7 years.
Commonly found in rocky, forested areas, Platacanthomys lasiurus make nests in knotholes of trees, cavities in trunks, and occasionally in spaces between rocks. Nests are made of moss and leaves. Good habitat consists of canopy cover and a large proportion of climbing plants, such as lianas.
(Grzimeks, 1975; Mudappa et al., 2001; Nowak, 1995)
Range elevation: 600 to 900 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest ; mountains
Platacanthomys lasiurus, or Malabar Spiny Dormice, are found in southern India in the mountains of the Western Ghats. These dormice are endemic to India.
Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )
Malabar spiny dormice are important prey species in the ecosystems in which they live, they also may be involved in seed dispersal of the fruits they eat.
Malabar spiny dormice are important members of the community in which they live.
Platacanthomys lasiurus adversely affect humans because of the large amount of damage they can do to pepper crops. In some areas, they became so numerous that hunting was a necessity. They also get into "toddy-pots" and drink the fermented palm juice that is kept inside.
(Grzimek, 1975; Nowak, 1995)
Negative Impacts: crop pest
Platacanthomys lasiurus populations are sensitive to habitat changes. To maintain healthy populations, large areas of undisturbed rainforest are needed.
(Mudappa et al., 2001)
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
There has not been much research done on Malabar spiny dormice.
(Mudappa et al., 2001)
Mating system in these animals is unknown.
Reproduction rates generally rise during the wet season. During this time, females often gain weight, which is indicative of their breeding status. The wet season is also the time when most juveniles are dispersing. This is supported by capture data. There is little available information on reproduction in these animals.
(Mudappa et al., 2001)
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); viviparous
Details of parental care in these animals are unknown.
The Malabar spiny dormouse (Platacanthomys lasiurus) is a species of muroid rodent endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is the only extant species in the genus Platacanthomys and although resembling a dormouse, it is not closely related. About the size of a brown rat, this arboreal species lives in tree holes in dense forest habitats in a small family group. They are distinguishable from other species in the area by their bushy tuft tip to the tail and the spiny fur on the back.
This rodent is about 5 in long with a 4-in tail. The ears are large and pointed at the tip. The whiskers are numerous and some are very long. The hairy tail is covered with longer hairs towards the end, making the tail wider at the tip. The hairs arise on the sides towards the base of the tail (an arrangement termed as "subdistichous") giving the tail a slightly flattened appearance. The pollux ("thumb") and hallux ("big toe") are without claws. The skull is broad and flat above and the infraorbital foramen is large. They are brownish above and whitish below with a distinct border. The feet are whitish. The tip of the tail is sometimes whitish, but is otherwise like the colour of the back.[2] The fur on the back has scattered broad and flat spiny hairs with white tips.[3] Finer spines are also found on the fur of the underside.[4]
The genus name is derived from the flattened (platy-) spines (Greek acantha), while mus refers to a mouse.[5] The species name lasiurus is based on the Greek lasios for hairy and —oura for tail.
The position of this species has been puzzled on from very early times. In 1860, Sclater exhibited a specimen noting it as a new dormouse from the Malabar. As early as 1865, this position was disputed on the basis of the dental formula. Peters (1865) suggested that the species was unrelated to the dormice and suggested that they should be placed with the murine genera of India.[6] This position in the family Muridae was used in The Fauna of British India (1891).[2] Palmer (1897) placed the subfamily Platacanthomyinae within the Gliridae.[7] but Ellerman (1940) placed the genus in the subfamily Platacanthomyinae under the family Muscardinidae.[8] Nowak (1999) places the subfamily within the Muridae and includes the genus Typhlomys in this subfamily.[9] The exact phylogenetic relations of Platacanthomys have not been examined using sequence based approaches although Typhlomys has been confirmed to belong within the Muroid clade.[10][11]
A fossil from the late Miocene (about 9 Mya) of China has been described as Platacanthomys dianensis.[12]
The species is found only in the denser forest regions of the Western Ghats and the Nilgiri hills. They are found in altitudes up to 2000 m (such as at Ootacamund and Coonoor[13]) and are found at very low densities.[14] The northernmost record is from Sagar in Shimoga district of Karnataka.[3] Records are few and scattered and published records are from Aralam, Coorg,[15] Peppara and Karianshola.[3][4][16][17]
The species was however considered to be common when it was first discovered by Reverend H. Baker (from Mundakyam, Allepey). He obtained the first specimens for Edward Blyth and noted that they lived in hole nests in large trees and that they were considered a minor pest of fruit trees and in cardamom and pepper plantations.[2][15]
The species is nocturnal and is largely frugivorous. A specimen in captivity fed voraciously on a diet of fruits. When sleeping, it curls its body, hedgehog-like, with its tail protruding.[3] The species is believed to feed on pepper in plantations, but trapping surveys suggest they are mainly restricted to undisturbed forest habitats.[14]
Four young have been noted in one litter.[13]
The Malabar spiny dormouse (Platacanthomys lasiurus) is a species of muroid rodent endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is the only extant species in the genus Platacanthomys and although resembling a dormouse, it is not closely related. About the size of a brown rat, this arboreal species lives in tree holes in dense forest habitats in a small family group. They are distinguishable from other species in the area by their bushy tuft tip to the tail and the spiny fur on the back.
