Malabar spiny dormouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Malabar spiny dormouseTemporal range: Late Miocene to Recent
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Platacanthomys
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lasiurus
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The Malabar spiny dormouse (Platacanthomys lasiurus) is a special type of rodent. It lives only in the Western Ghats mountains of India. Even though it looks a bit like a dormouse, it's not actually a close relative.
This animal is about the size of a brown rat. It lives in trees, often in holes, and usually stays with its small family group. You can tell a Malabar spiny dormouse apart by its bushy tail, which has a tuft at the end. It also has spiny fur on its back.
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What Does the Malabar Spiny Dormouse Look Like?
This rodent is about 5 inches (13 cm) long. Its tail is about 4 inches (10 cm) long. It has big ears that are pointed at the top. Its whiskers are long and many.
The tail is covered with hair. The hairs get longer towards the end, making the tail look wider at the tip. The fur on its back has flat, spiny hairs with white tips. You can also find finer spines on the fur underneath its body.
Its body is brownish on top and whitish underneath. The feet are also whitish. Sometimes, the tip of the tail is white. The Malabar spiny dormouse does not have claws on its "thumb" (pollux) or "big toe" (hallux).
Why is it Called That?
The name Platacanthomys comes from Greek words. Platy- means "flattened," and acantha means "spines." Mus means "mouse." So, it means "flat-spined mouse."
The species name lasiurus also comes from Greek. Lasios means "hairy," and -oura means "tail." This describes its hairy tail.
Scientists have studied where this animal fits in the animal kingdom for a long time. They first thought it was a type of dormouse. But later, they realized it was different. It is now placed in its own group because of its unique features.
Where Does it Live?
The Malabar spiny dormouse lives only in the thick forests of the Western Ghats and the Nilgiri hills in India. It can be found at high places, up to 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) above sea level. However, there are not many of them, and they are hard to find.
Records of where they live are few and spread out. Some places where they have been seen include Aralam, Coorg, Peppara, and Karianshola.
When this species was first discovered, people thought it was common. They lived in tree holes and were sometimes seen eating fruits from farms.
Life and Habits
The Malabar spiny dormouse is active at night. It mostly eats fruits. When it sleeps, it curls up its body like a hedgehog, with its tail sticking out.
People used to think they ate pepper from farms. But studies show they mostly live in forests that humans haven't disturbed.
A mother dormouse can have about four babies in one litter.
