Xeromys myoides
false water rat

The geographic range of Xeromys myoides is restricted to Australia. Though originally known only in Southeast Queensland and the Northern Territory, the false water-rat is currently found in the central and southern parts of Queensland, North Stradbroke Island off the coast of Southeast Queensland, the Northern territory, and on the nearby Melville Island (Wilson and Reeder, 1993; Nowak, 1999)

The false water-rat is found mainly in coastal swamps with mangrove forest. It has also been recorded near freshwater lagoons, sedged lakes, and grassy and reed swamps. It appears to dependend on mangrove habitats for food aquisition (Nowak, 1999; Strahan, 1995).

False water-rats have markedly long, flattened heads with small eyes and short, rounded ears. These rats possess just two molars on each side of the upper and lower jaw. Their upper incisors are yellow or orange and the lower incisors are white.

The head and body length of the false water-rat is 115-27mm. The tail length is 85-100mm and the hind-foot length is 23-26mm. Body fur is generally dark gray, which gradually blends into the white underside. This coat is water-resistant. The hands, feet, and tail are covered with fine, white hairs, and the feet are not webbed. The tail of these rats is scaled.

Females have four teats (Nowak, 1999; Taylor, 1984).

The false water-rat is nocturnal, foraging by night and resting in it nest by day. Their nests are found at the base of mangrove trees, among their roots. They also nest in sedgeland. The nests, which resemble termite mounds, are composed of leaves and compact mud and are about 60 cm high. While there is typically a single opening to this mound, inside, a complex system of tunnels connects multliple chambers. The nests are usually inhabited by one male, several females, and multiple juveniles with a total of up to 8 residents. At night, when the tide recedes, these rats leave their nests to forage among the mangrove forests.

False water-rats have slightly overlapping home ranges that are estimated at about 0.8 ha for males and 0.6 ha for females (Nowak, 1999; Strahan,1995; Queensland Museum Explorer,1999).

The false water-rat's diet is very much dependent on its swampy habitat. They appear to feed on small crustaceans such as crabs, marine polyclads, marine pulmonates, shellfish, and worms. In captivity, the false water-rat will eat insects, fish, lizards, crabs that are larger than itself (Nowak, 1999; Van Dyck, 1997; Queensland Museum Explorer, 1999).

The false water-rat does not appear to negatively effect humans or the economy.

The false water-rat has no positive economic importance for humans. But by playing a role in maintaining the ecological stability of the marine population it feeds on, it may indirectly effect local marine-related industries.

Since its initial description in 1889, only a very small number of specimens have been collected, mostly since 1970. It is evident that these rats are intimately connected to their mangrove habitat. Habitat distruction due to agriculture, livestock grazing, urbanization, and swamp drainage are considered major threats to the survival of this animal. In addition, off-shore pollution and land reclamation pose a threat to this rare species (Queensland Museum Explorer, 1999; Strahan, 1995; Nowak, 1999).

The water rat in the genus Hydromys is phyogenetically distantly related to the false water-rat, although the two are still considered sister genera (Wilson and Reeder, 1993).