542.

Matthey’s Mouse

Mus mattheyi

French: Souris de Matthey / German: Matthey-Zwergmaus / Spanish: Raton de Matthey

Taxonomy. Mus mattheyi Petter, 1969,

Accra, Ghana.

Based on cytochrome-b sequences, considered to be part of the M. minutoides species group. Closely related to M. haussa and not easily distinguished morphologically, but chromosomally and genetically distinct, as shown by several recent studies. Monotypic.

Distribution. Scattered in savannas of W Africa from Senegal E to Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Togo.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 45-61 mm, tail 32-41 mm, ear 7-10 mm, hindfoot 11-14 mm; weight 6-7 g. Very small mouse with short tail. Fur is dense, short, and fairly coarse, dark grayish brown flecked with buff above, and grayish white below, sometimes with a pale orange tinge. Tail is short (c.74% of head-body length), dark above and paler below. Ears moderately large and darkly pigmented, covered with many short buff hairs, and without postauricular white spots. Females havefive pairs of nipples. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 36, FN = 36.

Habitat. Moist woodland savanna and grassland savanna.

Food and Feeding. Matthey’s Mouse probably feeds on seeds and insects.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Britton-Davidian et al. (2012), Bryja, Mikula, Sumbera et al. (2014), Happold (2013a), Kan Kouassi et al. (2008), Monadjem et al. (2015), Petter (1969), Veyrunes et al. (2004).