False Water Rat vs

Xeromys myoides compared with Phaeographis dendritica

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	False Water Rat
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Ostropales (Ostropales)
Family	Muridae (Mice & Rats)	Graphidaceae
Genus	Xeromys	Phaeographis
Species	Xeromys myoides	Phaeographis dendritica

Conservation Status

False Water Rat

VU — Vulnerable

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	False Water Rat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

False Water Rat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Habitat

Native to Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Norway, and Portugal. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Phaeographis dendritica is a corticolous crustose lichen forming pale to whitish patches on smooth bark with distinctive branched, dendritic lirellate apothecia. It inhabits humid, shaded temperate woodland, particularly old-growth forests in oceanic regions. Classified as Vulnerable, this species is threatened by habitat loss and the decline of ancient, undisturbed woodland ecosystems.