This rat lives at mid-elevations in New Guinea. Its reddish-brown back fur has few or no spines, and it is often recorded in gardens, plantations, and grassland created by human activity.
Its back is reddish to dark brown, with soft fur and few or no spines. The belly fur is gray with buff tips, and the feet have cream-colored hairs.
It occurs broadly at about 500–2,500 m along New Guinea's central mountain chain, with isolated populations in northern ranges and the Huon Peninsula. It digs burrows, and breeding has been recorded throughout the year.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.