Sulawesi root rat
species of rat
The Sulawesi root rat, Gracilimus radix, is a species of rat in the family Muridae. It is a monotypic species, as it the only member of the genus Gracilimus. It is only known from the Mamasa Regency in Sulawesi, Indonesia, where it is endemic to the slopes of Mt. Gandangdewata in the Quarles Range, where it is found at an elevation of about 1600 m.
The closest relative of the slender rat is the Sulawesi water rat (Waiomys mamasae), and both belong in a clade of insectivorous rodents endemic to Sulawesi. The slender rat can be physically distinguished from other species by its slender body, soft gray-brown fur, small rounded ears, and long, sparsely haired tail. Unlike most other genera of Sulawesi rats, the slender rat feeds on both plant and animal matter, which may be a possible example of evolutionary reversal.
The public source identifies “Sulawesi root rat” as species of rat. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Sulawesi, root and species.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 13, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q23794940. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1600.
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This entry incorporates text from “Sulawesi root rat” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.