42.

Western Rift Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys medicaudatus

French: Rat-hérissé a longue queue / German: Kivu-Burstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo del Valle Occidental

Other common names: Medium-tailed Brush-furred Rat

Taxonomy. Lophuromys medicaudatus Dieterlen, 1975,

Lemera-Nyabutera, Kivu region, DR Congo.

Lophuromys medicaudatus, L. woosnami, and L. luteogaster are in subgenus Kivumys and woosnami species group. Monotypic. Distribution. Endemic to the Albertine Rift, occurring around Lake Kivu in E DR Congo and Rwanda and SW Uganda (Bwindi).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 92-112 mm, tail 73-95 mm, ear 15-19 mm, hindfoot 18-23 mm; weight 29-43 g. Similar to other species in subgenus Kivumys, the Western Rift Brush-furred Rat has unspeckled pelage, and tail ¢.85% of head-body length. Dorsum is uniform dark brown-olive, and venter is orange. Females have three pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Mountain swamps and mountain forests at elevations of 1850-2500 m.

Food and Feeding. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat is omnivorous; diets contain 30-100% arthropods, mollusks, seeds, and fruits.

Breeding. Female Western Rift Brush-furred Rats can have 1-2 embryos. Pregnant females were observed in February, April, and July.

Activity patterns. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat is terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Western Rift Brush-furred Rat has never been found in modified secondary environment and is quite rare.

Bibliography. Dieterlen (1976b, 1987 2013g), Kasangaki et al. (2003), Verheyen et al. (1996).