View source for Bramble Cay melomys

{{speciesbox
| name   = Bramble Cay melomys
| image  = Bramble-cay-melomys.jpg
| status = EX

| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{Cite journal | title = '' Melomys rubicola'' | journal = [[The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species]] | publisher = [[IUCN]] | date = 2016 | url = https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13132/97448475 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T13132A97448475.en |doi-access=free | access-date = 20 February 2019 |volume=2016 |page=e.T13132A97448475 |last1=Woinarski |first1=J. |last2=Burbidge |first2=A.A. }}</ref><ref name="Extinction report June 2016">{{Citation |author-last1=Gynther |author-first1=Ian |author-last2=Waller |author-first2=Natalie |author-last3=Leung |author-first3=Luke K.-P. |date=June 2016 |title=Confirmation of the extinction of the Bramble Cay melomys Melomys rubicola on Bramble Cay, Torres Strait: results and conclusions from a comprehensive survey in August–September 2014 |publisher=Unpublished report to the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Queensland Government, Brisbane. |url=https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/documents/bramble-cay-melomys-survey-report.pdf |access-date=14 June 2016 |archive-date=14 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614071845/https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/threatened-species/documents/bramble-cay-melomys-survey-report.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=slezak>{{cite news |last=Slezak |first=Michael |date=14 June 2016 |title=Revealed: first mammal species wiped out by human-induced climate change |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/14/first-case-emerges-of-mammal-species-wiped-out-by-human-induced-climate-change |access-date= 14 June 2016}}</ref>
| genus   = Melomys
| species = rubicola
| authority = [[Oldfield Thomas|Thomas]], 1924<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Thomas |first1=Oldfield |title=Some new Australasian Muridæ |journal=Annals and Magazine of Natural History |date=1924 |volume=13 |issue=75 |pages=298–299 |doi=10.1080/00222932408633044 |series=Series 9}}</ref>
| synonyms = 
}}
The '''Bramble Cay melomys''', or '''Bramble Cay mosaic-tailed rat''' (''Melomys rubicola''), is an [[extinct]] [[species]] of [[rodent]] in the family [[Muridae]].  While it was similar to the [[Cape York melomys]] it had some [[protein]] differences and a coarser tail.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=JgAMbNSt8ikC&pg=PA894 |title=Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference |first1=G. G. |last1=Musser|first2=M. D.|last2=Carleton |via=google |date=2005|pages= 894–1531 |isbn=9780801882210 |access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref> It was [[genetically]] different to species from [[Australia]] and [[New Guinea]].<ref name=aes>{{cite web |url= https://theconversation.com/australian-endangered-species-bramble-cay-melomys-18036 |title=Australian endangered species: Bramble Cay Melomys |first1=Tyrone |last1=Lavery |first2=Luke|last2=Leung|first3=Natalie|last3=Waller|work=theconversation.com |date=12 September 2013 |access-date=18 February 2015}}</ref> It lived in [[burrow]]s it had dug among plants, or under branches and leaves on the ground.<ref name=aes/> It was a [[nocturnal]] animal, and scientists believe it was a [[vegetarian]].<ref name=aes/>

The Bramble Cay melomys was known only from a small population in [[Bramble Cay]], a vegetated coral [[cay]] of {{convert|340|x|150|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/wildlife/threatened_plants_and_animals/endangered/bramble_cay_melomys/ |title=Queensland Government, Environment and Resource management |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427003044/http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/nature_conservation/wildlife/threatened_plants_and_animals/endangered/bramble_cay_melomys/ |archive-date=2009-04-27 |date=2 September 2005 }}</ref> The cay is in the eastern part of [[Torres Strait]], off the northern tip of Australia. It is only 50&nbsp;km from New Guinea. The melomys were probably trapped on the island by rising sea levels after the last [[ice age]].<ref name=aes/> It is also possible to have come from the [[Fly River]], perhaps floating on branches.<ref name=aes/> Scientists do not know much about the animals that live in the Fly River area.<ref name=aes/>

In the 1800s, there were lots of melomys on the island. A search in 1998 found 42 animals.<ref name=aes/> Another search in 2002 found 10 animals.<ref name=aes/> In 2004 a search found 12, but the melomys have not been seen since.<ref name=aes/> During this time, the sea level has risen, making the island smaller, and [[turtles]] and sea birds have eaten most of the plants. Scientists believe the Bramble Cay melomys is [[extinction|extinct]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/another-australian-animal-slips-away-to-extinction-36203 |title=Another Australian animal slips away to extinction |date=14 January 2015 |access-date=2015-01-14 |work=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |first1=Milena |last1=Kim |first2=Bob |last2=Pressey}}</ref> It is possible that the species may be found on nearby islands as many of these have never been searched.<ref name=aes/> However, in June 2016, researchers from  [[Government of Queensland#Departments|Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection]], and the [[University of Queensland]] reported that the species had indeed become extinct.<ref name="Extinction report June 2016"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Mammals of Australia]]
[[Category:Old World rats and mice]]