Maned Rat Skull Replica

$45.00

The Maned Rat or African crested rat is a nocturnal, long-haired and bushy-tailed East African rodent that superficially resembles a porcupine. The world’s only known venomous rodent, the Maned Rat borrows toxins from plants to fend off predators.

Description

Maned Rat Skull Replica measures 2.5 inches. Maned Rat Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane resin cast. Made in USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw). California Academy of Sciences Polyurethane cast of original specimen. Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home décor skull, or office décor skull.

The Maned Rat, African Crested Rat or Lophiomys imhausi is a nocturnal, long-haired and bushy-tailed East African rodent that superficially resembles a porcupine. The world’s only poisonous rodent, the Maned rat borrows toxins from plants to fend off predators.

The Maned rat or Lophiomys imhaus body can grow up to 14 inches long from head to tail. The coat consists of long, silver and black-tipped guard hairs over a dense, woolly, grey and white undercoat, with the face and limbs having short, black fur.

A mane of longer, coarser black-and-white banded hairs extends from the top of the animal’s head to just beyond the base of the tail. This mane is bordered by a broad, white-bordered strip of hairs covering an area of glandular skin.

The Maned rat or Lophiomys imhaus forelimbs and hind limbs have short black fur. The forefeet are large and digit 1 of the forefeet does not have a claw while digits 2-5 have a well developed claw.

When the Maned rat or Lophiomys imhaus is threatened or excited, the mane erects and this strip parts, exposing the glandular area. The hairs in this area are, at the tips, like ordinary hair, but are otherwise spongy, fibrous, and absorbent with a honeycomb structure.

The maned rat or Lophiomys imhaus is known to deliberately smear these hairs with poison from the bark of the Acokanthera schimperi, the poison arrow tree, on which it chews, thus creating a defense mechanism that can sicken or even kill predators which attempt to bite it.

It is the only mammal known to utilize and store toxins from a different species in nature to protect itself, with no known adverse effects to themselves.

The Maned rat or Lophiomys imhaus diet consists largely of leaves, fruit, and other plant material, but it has been known to eat meat, cereals, root vegetables, and insects in captivity. Food is eaten by sitting on its haunches and using its forepaws to bring food items to its mouth.

The habitat of the Maned rat ranges from nearly sea level, in Ethiopia and Somalia, to more typically the drier, highland forests and woodlands of Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.

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Additional information

Weight 1.5 lbs
Dimensions 2.5 in
Maned Rat Facts

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Muridae
Subfamily: Lophiomyinae
Milne-Edwards, 1867
Genus: Lophiomys
Milne-Edwards, 1867
Species: L. imhausi
Binomial name: Lophiomys imhausi
Conservation status; Least concern