The maned rat or (African) crested rat (Lophiomys imhausi) is a nocturnal, long-haired and bushy-tailed East African rodent that superficially resembles a porcupine. The world's only known poisonous rodent, the maned rat sequesters toxins from plants to fend off predators.

2020年11月27日 · A poisonous rat that licks deadly toxins onto its own fur sounds like some kind of made-up nightmare species. But these creatures are real, and scientists now say they are also unexpectedly...

Did you know there's a rat poisonous enough to kill an elephant? Lophiomys imhausi, also known as the crested rat, the maned rat, and the African crested rat, is a deadly rarity says Aoife …

2023年7月10日 · The African crested rat is the most poisonous rodent in the world, and it’s the only known poisonous rodent today. The rat chews the leaves and bark of poisonous trees and applies the toxic saliva to its fur. Read on to learn more about this interesting rodent.

In a Journal of Mammology paper published today, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, University of Utah and National Museums of Kenya researchers found the African crested rat is the only mammal known to sequester plant toxins for chemical defense and uncovered an unexpected social life—the rats appear to be monogamous and may even ...

2020年6月22日 · The African crested or maned rat (Lophiomys imhausi) is a unique, nocturnal rodent found only in certain parts of Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. At roughly 30 cm long and weighing up to a kilogram, there is still a great deal to be discovered about these peculiar creatures, and their natural lives remain shrouded in mystery.

In the new study, researchers trapped 25 African crested rats, the largest sample size of the species ever trapped. Using motion-activated cameras, they documented nearly 1,000 hours of rat behavior.

2021年1月12日 · African crested rats — fluffy, rabbit-sized furballs from East Africa — are finally starting to reveal their secrets. In 2011, scientists discovered that the rats lace their fur with a deadly poison. Now researchers report that these animals are surprisingly friendly toward each other, and may even live in family groups.

The crested rat is the only mammal known to sequester plant toxins for chemical defense. And the rodents have an unexpected social life—they appear to be monogamous and may form small family units with their offspring, according to a new study by U researchers and scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museums of Kenya.

2020年11月19日 · In a Journal of Mammology paper published yesterday, researchers from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, University of Utah and National Museums of Kenya found the African crested rat is the only mammal known to sequester plant toxins for chemical defense, and they uncovered an unexpected social life—the rats appear to be ...