Soft-furred rat

The soft-furred rat (Millardia meltada), or soft-furred metad, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae native to South Asia.

Soft-furred rat
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Millardia
Species:	M. meltada
Binomial name
Millardia meltada (Gray, 1837)
Synonyms
Golunda meltada Gray, 1837 Mus comberi Wroughton, 1907 Mus lanuginosus Elliot, 1839 Mus listoni Wroughton, 1907 Rattus meltada ssp. meltada(Gray, 1837) Rattus meltada ssp. pallidor(Ryley, 1914)

Description

Head and body length is 13–16 cm. Tail ss 12–14 cm. Yellowish to brownish gray dorsally and whitish in the underparts. Tail naked, blackish above, paler beneath. Fine dense fur shorter ventrally. Many shortish whiskers. Males are larger.^{[citation needed]}

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, at altitudes from sea level to 2,670 m asl. It inhabits tropical and sub-tropical forests and grasslands, also making use of irrigated croplands and other cultivated areas.^[1]