What is the name of a mouse with a long tail and a tassel? - briefly
The rodent is commonly called a long‑tailed mouse. It is distinguished by an elongated tail ending in a small tuft.
What is the name of a mouse with a long tail and a tassel? - in detail
The rodent commonly identified by an unusually long tail that terminates in a brush‑like tassel is the tassel‑tailed mouse (genus Leptomys).
It belongs to the family Muridae and is native to the high‑land forests of New Guinea. Species within the genus, such as Leptomys elegans and Leptomys arfakensis, display the diagnostic tail morphology: the tail length ranges from 150 % to 200 % of the head‑body measurement, and the distal few centimeters are covered by a dense bundle of hair that forms a conspicuous tassel.
Key characteristics
- Size: head‑body length 90–130 mm; tail 140–260 mm.
- Fur: soft, brown to gray dorsally; lighter ventrally.
- Tail: slender, mostly naked, ending in a hair‑tuft of 1–2 cm.
- Feet: elongated with well‑developed claws for climbing.
- Diet: omnivorous, consuming insects, seeds, and small fruits.
Habitat and ecology
- Occupies montane rainforest and sub‑alpine grassland at elevations of 1 500–3 000 m.
- Primarily terrestrial but capable of limited arboreal activity, using the tail tassel for balance.
- Nocturnal; shelters in leaf litter or burrows during daylight.
Reproduction
- Breeding occurs year‑round in equatorial zones; litters average 2–4 young.
- Gestation lasts about 30 days; weaning completes by week 4.
Conservation status
- Most species are classified as “Data Deficient” or “Near Threatened” by the IUCN due to limited survey data and habitat loss from logging and agriculture.
The combination of an extended tail and a terminal hair tuft uniquely identifies Leptomys species as the mouse sought in the description.