Conilurus

Rabbit rats; Temporal range: Early Pleistocene - Recent
	Conilurus albipes
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Tribe:	Hydromyini
Genus:	Conilurus; Ogilby, 1838
Species
	†Conilurus albipes; †Conilurus capricornensis; Conilurus penicillatus

The rabbit rats, genus Conilurus represent an unusual genus of Old World rats from Australia, New Guinea, and Melville Island.

Head and body are 16.5–20 cm. Tail length is 18–21.5 cm. The tail is haired and has a distinct tuft at the end. These nocturnal animals are found in habitats ranging from coastal areas, swamps, plains, and forests. They have been reported along the edge of oceanic surf, presumably feeding.

Young have been found to cling to one of the mother's four nipples while she forages. Gestation is 33–35 days.

Species

Genus Conilurus - rabbit rats

†White-footed rabbit rat, Conilurus albipes
†Capricorn rabbit rat, Conilurus capricornensis^[1]
Brush-tailed rabbit rat, Conilurus penicillatus

References

^ Cramb, Jonathan; Scott Hocknull (2010). "New Quaternary records of Conilurus (Rodentia: Muridae) from eastern and northern Australia with the description of a new species" (PDF). Zootaxa. 2634: 41–56. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2634.1.3.

Duff, A. and A. Lawson. 2004. Mammals of the World A Checklist. New Haven, Yale University Press.
Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London.