Otomys dartmouthi Thomas 1906

Otomys dartmouthi Thomas 1906, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 7, 18: 141.

Type Locality: Uganda, Ruwenzori East, Mubuku Valley, 12,500 ft.

Vernacular Names: Ruwenzori Vlei Rat.

Distribution: Open moorland, 3300-3900 m, in the Ruwenzori Mtns (Kerbis Peterhans et al., 1998, as O. typus).

Discussion: Treated as another montane variant of a highly polymorphic O. irroratus (Petter, 1982) or O. typus (Bohmann, 1952; Misonne, 1974). As noted by Thomas (1906 a) and Dollman (1915), this form consistently possesses only 6 M3 laminae (confirmed in FMNH 144327, 144328, 144330), unlike the 8-9 in O. typus proper, and is much smaller with more darkly colored, somewhat woolly fur. Morphological and genetic conformity with Ethiopian populations should be demonstrated.