e-ISSN: 2582-5208 International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science Volume:02/Issue:04/April -2020 www.irjmets.com www.irjmets.com @International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering, Technology and Science [286] ARTICLE LESSER KNOWN SMALL MAMMAL VANDELEURIA NILAGIRICA JERDON 1867 (NILGIRI -LONG TAILED CLIMBING MOUSE) IN NILGIRI HILLS INDIA N. Moinudheen *1 , Clement kishore kumar *2 *1 Main Library Defence Service Staff College Wellington 643231 *2 1/22 Jm street wellington coonoor I. INTRODUCTION Among the terrestrial species, the majority 332 species is represented by small Volant and non Volant species belonging to the orders Vandeleuria is a small genus of rodent also known long-tailed climbing mouse. Vandeleuria Nilagirica is a Subspecies of Vandelueuria Olaracia species is divided by geographical variations and morphological characterized described namely dumeticola Hodgson, Nilagirica Jerodon, Spandicea Ryley, Rubida Thomas, Modesta Thomas, and Nolthenii Phillips as its Sub Species and the synonymized wrought on Ryley with the nominate sub species and Provensis Hodgson, badius Blyth and marica Thomas with dumesticola Hodgson (V.V Agarwal and Chakraborty 1980). Vandeleuria nilagirica is longer tails, arboreal,It is very shy Nocturnal and omnivore, feeding is usually the spruce leaves and small flower sand buds of small plants that includes small insects also. IUCN status of this species is Endangered. This species is Endamic to the tropical forest along the Northern Western Ghats, Nilgiri Hills (Musses & Carleton 2005). Species altitudinal range is 900 to 2100 M. Theses are found in mountainous areas where there is no hassle. It is Listed as a under scheduled 'V' of the Indian wild life Act. As compared to other zones, the frequency of occurrence of F. pennanti and B. bandicota was found to be very low at all the localities in southeastern Rajasthan. Some of the hills have been afforested and the plantations have a very low herbaceous ground cover. This may be one of the reasons of low occurrence of the long-tailed tree mouse, Vandeleuriaoleracea. Suncus stoliczkanus, the Anderson's shrew was found to be absent in this zone (Ishwar prakash & Himmat Singh 2001). In Thar desert Maximum number of Vandeleuria oleracea 66.6% Species Was observed ( Prakash I,PratapSingh 2005) .Human Disturbance, floods, habitat loss & degradation found to be major threat to these species. This small mammal is plays in important role in the Environment. II. ACCORDING TO THE RECENT FIELD STUDY Vandeleuria nilagirica Jerdon 1867 has been found in two places in Nilgiri Hills There are (loc-1 : 11°21'50"N, 76°47'38"E, loc-2 : 11°21'17"N, 76°46'29"E )Fig 1. I have seen Vandeleuria nilagirica Jerdon 1867 in these two areas five times a year during the night time survey during the year 2018-2019 . Most this species are in thick shrubs and small trees. The location is located in rocky holes and in the hollow of the trees. Vandeleuria nilagirica Jerdon 1867, examined from Alibagh in Maharashtra and Anaikatty in Coimbatore (Sanjay Molur & Mewa Singh 2009). The shola forest is mainly responsible for the species existence on the Nilgiris. Small mammal species usually share micro-habitats. Population and ecology studies has ever been done under this species in Nilgiri Hills. III. SPECIES DESCRIPTION Dorsum ranging from Broccoli Brown and Chestnut Brown Fig1. Ventral surface white, in some suffused with fulvous on belly Fig2. A line of demarcation present between dorsum and venter. Its mouth is slightly narrower. The ears are small in black color. Tail is longer than the body. Hands and feet are light pink color. India namely, oleracea, spadicea and nilgirica by their dorsal color, which is generally brighter (dawn, ruckus or russet) as against dull (ranging from sandy brown to Broccoli Brown).(V.C Agarwal and Chakraborty 1980)The body structure is located on the mountainous area. e-ISSN: 2582-5208 International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science Volume:02/Issue:04/April -2020 www.irjmets.com www.irjmets.com @International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering, Technology and Science [287] Figure 1: Vandeleuria nilagirica Jerdon 1867SightingPlaces in Nilgiri hills Figure 2: Dorsum ranging from Broccoli Figure 3: Ventral surface white, in some Brown and Chestnut Brown. Suffused with fulvous on belly IV. DISTRIBUTION Global Distribution: India, Sri Lanka. Indian Distribution: Gujarat , Karnataka Coorg . Mysore, Kerala, Eravikulam Maharashtra, Mumbai , Pune, Tamil Nadu: Nilgiris: Coonoor, Ootacamund. e-ISSN: 2582-5208 International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science Volume:02/Issue:04/April -2020 www.irjmets.com www.irjmets.com @International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering, Technology and Science [288] ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors are thankful to Defense Service Staff College Wellington OIC Library, Library Information Assistant K. Suaramurthi sir, Mrs. Shakila, Hakkim, Kannan and Janarthanan, Sarath Kumar, A. Mathews and my brothers, Clement Kishore, Clement Kiran, Appu and Ragav for their kind help during the studies. V. REFERENCES [1] Agarwal,V.C.and Chakraborty, S.1980.Intra specific geographical variations in the Indian long tailed tree mouse, Vandeleuriaoleracea (Bennett).-Bullzool Surv. India, Calcutta, 3, pp.77-85 [2] Ishwar P Rajesh & Himmat Singh. 2001. Composition andspecies diversity of small mammals in the hilly tracts of southeastern Rajasthan International Society for Tropical Ecology 42(1):25-33. [3] Musser,G & M. D Carleton. 2005. Super Family moroidea p.p 8941532. In Wilson D.E & D.M Reeder (eds). Mammal species of the world: A taxonomic and Geographic Reference, VolumeII, 3rd edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, xxxv+2142 pp. [4] Prakash I, Pratap Singh 2005 Ecology of Small Mammals of Desert & Montane Ecosystems Book, P48 [5] Sanjay Molur & Mewa Singh 2009. Non-volant small mammals of the Western Ghats of Coorg District, southern India Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | December 2009 | 1(12): 589-608.