499.

Loring’s Thallomys

Thallomys loringi

French: Thallomys de Loring / German: Loring-Akazienratte / Spanish: Rata de acacias de Loring

Other common names: Loring’s Rat

Taxonomy. Thamnomys loringi Heller, 1909,

Lake Naivasha, E Kenya.

Although previously regarded as conspecific with 1. nigricauda or with latter’s synonym “71. damarensis”, I. loringi was elevated to species rank by G. G.Musser and M. D. Carleton in 1993 on basis of its distinctive morphology. Its limits are uncertain. It may occur sympatrically with 7. paedulcus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Narrowly distributed in W Kenya and extreme N Tanzania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 130-160 mm, tail 120-183 mm, ear 21-25 mm, hindfoot 25-28 mm; one individual weighed 80 g. Loring’s Thallomys is a medium-sized to large rodent with conspicuous facial markings. Fur is wood-brown above, with blackish wash on back and rump and paler brown to gray on flanks, sharply delineated from creamy-white to whitish-gray belly. Head is brownish gray, with blackish-brown mask around eyes and sides of the muzzle. Ears are of medium size, black-skinned and covered with ocherous hairs. Feet are whitish above, hindfeet relatively short and broad with fifth digit nearly as long as second to fourth digits and much longer than first digit. Tail is long (c.110% of head-body length), not bicolored, brown at base and becoming blacker toward tip, covered with short black hairs that become longer over distal third oftail, ending in weak tuft. Females have 0 + 2 = 2 pairs of nipples.

Habitat. East African savannas with acacia trees ( Acacia, Fabaceae) and shrubby woodland.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Little is known, but one pregnant female had four embryos.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. L.oring’s Thallomys makes nests in branches of thorn trees or bushes.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Last.

Bibliography. Heller (1909), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser & Carleton (1993), Thomas & Hinton (1923b).