Hydromys

The query asks for information about the rodent genus Hydromys. The provided search results indicate that Hydromys is a genus of myomorph rodents, specifically referred to as Australian beaver rats. These rodents are amphibious and carnivorous, exhibiting adaptations for hunting in water and burrowing along waterways.12

Key characteristics include small eyes, closable nostrils, and either small, furry ears or absent external ears. They possess sensitive whiskers and dense, water-repellent fur. Their hindfeet are fringed with stiff hairs and webbed between the digits, aiding in swimming. The golden-bellied water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) is the largest species in this genus, found in Australia and New Guinea. It inhabits freshwater lakes, estuaries, rivers, and mangrove swamps, tolerating polluted waters. Its diet is varied, including invertebrates like insects and crustaceans, as well as vertebrates such as fish, frogs, birds, and bats. The genus Hydromys contains five species and is part of the subfamily Murinae.2