Shrewlike rat

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Shrewlike rats of Luzon (Rhynchomys soricoides and friends)

The shrewlike rats, genus Rhynchomys, are a small, unusual group of Old World rats found only on Luzon in the Philippines. They resemble shrews in appearance and lifestyle, which is an example of convergent evolution. They mainly eat soft-bodied invertebrates living in leaf litter.

What they look like and how they move
- They have a very long snout and small eyes.
- Body length (head and body) is about 18.8–21.5 cm, with a tail of 10.5–14.6 cm.
- Their jaws carry only two small peg-like molars on each side; incisors are needle-like and the mandibles are delicate.
- They hunt by pouncing on earthworms, earning the nickname “hopping rats.”

Where they live
- Rhynchomys species occupy moist, mossy highland forests at elevations from about 1,100 to 2,460 meters.
- Populations are isolated on Luzon’s “sky islands,” making each group somewhat cut off from the others.

Species you’ll find on Luzon
- Rhynchomys soricoides
- Rhynchomys tapulao
- Rhynchomys banahao
- Rhynchomys isarogensis
- Rhynchomys labo
- Rhynchomys mingan

How they fit into the animal family
- Rhynchomys is part of the Muridae family and is closely related to Archboldomys and Chrotomys among Philippine shrew-rats.
- The genus has long been recognized as a distinct group of Philippine endemics, separate from other rodent lineages.

A quick timeline of discovery
- From 1895 to 1981, only Rhynchomys soricoides was known.
- In 1981, Rhynchomys isarogensis was described.
- In 2007, Rhynchomys banahao and Rhynchomys tapulao were described.
- In 2019, Rhynchomys labo and Rhynchomys mingan were described.