398.

Udzungwa Vlei Rat

Otomys uzungwensis

French: Otomys des Udzungwa / German: Udzungwa-Lamellenzahnratte / Spanish: Rata de laguna de Udzungwa

Other common names: Uzungwe Vlei Rat

Taxonomy. Otomys wuzungwensis Lawrence & Loveridge, 1953,

Dabaga, 6000 ft (= 1829 m), Udzungwa Mountains, Iringa District, Tanganyika Territory [= Tanzania].

Until recently, O. uzungwensis was included in O. typus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Udzungwa and Poroto Mts of STanzania and Nyika Plateau of Malawi and neighboring Zambia.

Descriptive notes. No measurements available forthis species. The UdzungwaVlei Rat is large and robust, with large blunt head, short tail, and shaggy fur. Fur is speckled bright tawny brown above and gray below. Tail is short (c.51% of head-body length) and bicolored. Upper incisors have single groove, and lower incisors have two deep grooves. M| has four laminae, and M® has seven laminae.

Habitat. Montane grasslandsat elevations of 1800-2750 m.

Food and Feeding. The Udzungwa Vlei Ratis presumably strictly herbivorous.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The UdzungwaVlei Rat is presumably diurnal or crepuscular.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Carleton & Byrne (2006), Lawrence & Loveridge (1953), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser & Carleton (2005), Taylor et al. (2011).