Balau vs Polynesian rat

Shorea lumutensis compared with Rattus exulans

Key Differences

• Balau is Critically Endangered while Polynesian rat is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balau	Polynesian rat
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Malvales (Malvales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Dipterocarpaceae	Muridae (Mice & Rats)
Genus	Shorea	Rattus
Species	Shorea lumutensis	Rattus exulans

Conservation Status

Balau

CR — Critically Endangered

Polynesian rat

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balau	Polynesian rat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balau

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Polynesian rat

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (6 countries), Europe (United Kingdom), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (11 countries), and South America (Chile).

Balau

The Balau (Shorea lumutensis) is a species in the genus Shorea. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.