Black-tailed mosaic-tailed rat
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Melomys
Species:	M. rufescens
Binomial name
Melomys rufescens (Alston, 1877)
Synonyms
M. gracilis (Thomas, 1906)

The black-tailed mosaic-tailed rat or black-tailed melomys (Melomys rufescens) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found through much of New Guinea and also on some nearby islands, namely Salawati and Misool (Indonesia), and the Bismarck Archipelago (including New Britain and New Ireland).^[1]

It is known as alks in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea.^[2]

This species is common in disturbed habitat and in primary forest at elevations up to 2,400 m (7,900 ft) above sea level. It is largely arboreal.^[1]

• • Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1380. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.

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