Half-striped bamboo rat

Half-striped bamboo rat (B. hemifasciatus) lives on Lanai Island. This rat differs from close species in remarkable colouring: on forward part of body strips are absent; they begin only on middle of back, and cover waist and hips of animal. The basic colouring of this animal is light grey with black strips. On head and cheeks of this rat there are white spots using for recognition of congeners. Except for colouring, this species differs in more graceful addition: lengthened body, short forepaws, narrow muzzle and long tail. This rat reaches usual length of grey rat, but weighs approximately twice less than it.