Macrotarsomys bastardi, Milne-Edwards & G. Grandidier, 1898

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Nesomyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 156-203 : 189

18.

Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse

Macrotarsomys bastardi

French: Kelibotra de Bastard / German: Bastard-MadagaskarGrofRfuRmaus / Spanish: Raton de pies grandes de Bastard

Other common names: Lesser Big-footed Mouse, Western Big-footed Mouse, Western Forest Mouse

Taxonomy. Macrotarsomys bastardi Milne-Edwards & G. Grandidier, 1898 ,

“sud du Mangoky , entre Midongy et Thosy [= Ihosy].”

Two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

M.b.bastard:Milne-Edwards&G.Grandidier,1898—moreuplandSCportionofMadagascar.

M. b. occidentalis Ellerman, 1949 — W & S Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 89-103 mm, tail 120-145 mm; weight 20-26 g. Dorsal pelage of Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse is distinctly soft and fine, grayish brown and slightly dull yellow. Flanks have distinct line separating back, and venteris uniform white. Eyes are proportionately large, rostrum is slightly pointed, and ears are distinctly elongated. Tail is remarkably long, brownish-gray dorsally and light gray ventrally; tip is trimmed with a few brown hairs. Hindlegs are elongated.

Habitat. Dry deciduous forest and spiny bush from near sea level to elevations of c.915 m. Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse occurs in areas with sandy soils.

Food and Feeding. In captivity, Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse eats seeds and fruit and also has been noted to be folivore and insectivore.

Breeding. Bastard’s Big-footed Mice live in pairs, but no details are available on their breeding systems and ecology. Maximum litter size is generally three young, but four embryos have been found in one case. Females have two sets of mammae.

Activity patterns. Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse is nocturnal and probably exclusively terrestrial. It occupies shallow burrows in sandy soil with small inconspicuous openings, which it backfills after entering. These plugs can be obvious in the early morning when soil is still slightly moist. End of the burrow system has an area of dried leaves and grass, which forms the nest. It moves kangaroo-like, with bounding action on its proportionately long hindfeet and using tail as a stabilizer. It is preyed on by barn owls (7yto alba) and Fosas (Cryptoprocta ferox).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse is largely a dry deciduous forest or open bush-dwelling species and is known from various localities in southern and north-western Madagascar. Given its apparent adaptability to open and slightly degraded environments, Bastard’s Bigfooted Mouse appears more adapted to anthropogenic changes than most species of Nesomyinae . It has been previously considered the most common native rodent in western Madagascar, but in certain areas,this is not the case. It has been proposed that introduced House Mice ( Mus musculus) compete with Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse for burrows.

Bibliography. Carleton & Goodman (2003c), Carleton & Schmidt (1990), Dollar et al. (2007), Ellerman (1949), Ganzhorn et al. (1996), Goodman & Griffiths (2009), Goodman, Ganzhorn & Rakotondravony (2003), Goodman, Mittermeier et al. (2014), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Hawkins & Racey (2008), Jansa et al. (2008), Petter (1972a), Petter & Randrianasolo (1961), Rasoma & Goodman (2007), Soarimalala & Goodman (2011).

Figures

1. White-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys albicauda), 2. Hairy-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys villosus), 3. Sleek-furred Ground Rat (Gymnuromys robert), 4. Antsingy Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus antsingy), 5. Carleton’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus carletoni), 6. Daniel’s Tufted-tail Rat (Elurus daniels), 7. Ellerman’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus ellermani), 8. Grandidier’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus grandidieri), 9. Major's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus majori), 10. Lesser Tufted-taill Rat (Elurus minor), 11. Milne-Edwards’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus myoxinus), 12. White-tailed Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus penicillatus), 13. Petter’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus petteri), 14. Tanala Tufted-taill Rat (Elwurus tanala), 15. Webb's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus webbi), 16. Anjozorobe Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo antsahabensis), 17. Northern Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo gymnocaudus), 18. Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi), 19. Ankarafantsika Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys ingens), 20. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys peter), 21. Koopman' ’ s Forest Mouse (Monticolomys koopmani), 22. Giant Jumping Rat (Hypogeomys antimena), 23. Small Short-tailed Rat (Brachywromys betsileoensis), 24. Large Short-tailed Rat (Brachyuromys ramirohitra), 25. Audebert’s Forest Rat (Nesomys audeberti), 26. Lamberton’s Forest Rat (Nesomys lambertoni), 27. Red Forest Rat (Nesomys rufus), 28. Delany’s Swamp Mouse (Delanymys brooksi), 29. African White-tailed Rat (Mystromys albicaudatus), 30. Shortridge’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus shortridger), 31. Short-eared Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus monticularis), 32. Barbour’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus barbouri), 33. Common Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus collinus)

Subspecies and Distribution. M.b.bastard:Milne-Edwards&G.Grandidier,1898—moreuplandSCportionofMadagascar. M. b. occidentalis Ellerman, 1949 — W & S Madagascar.