This large rat has a tail longer than its head and body. In a study, it distinguished nuts with insect damage from intact nuts.
Its short dorsal fur is reddish brown to orange, sharply separated from a white or cream belly. The tail is longer than the head and body combined, and the tops of the feet are white.
In field and enclosure experiments, it inspected seguin chestnuts and distinguished intact nuts from those infested by insect larvae. Inspection helped it select intact nuts.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.