536.

Cypriot

Mouse

Mus cypriacus

French: Souris

de Chypre / German: Zypern-Hausmaus / Spanish: Raton de Chipre

Other

common

names: Cyprus Mouse

Taxonomy. Mus cypriacus Cucchi et al, 2006,

Alassa village, Cyprus.

Initially considered to belong in M. musculus, and later variously in M. spicilegus, M. spretoides, or M. macedonicus . However, recent molecular studies show it to represent a very divergent lineage, so that it must be considered a distinct species; it can be separated on morphometric characters. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to Cyprus.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 70-95 mm, tail 63-92 mm, ear 13-6-16-8 mm, hindfoot 15-1-19 mm; weight 11-5-24 g. The Cypriot Mouse has a more or less dark woodbrown dorsal pelage and a creamy-gray belly. Tail is bicolored (white below) and equal (85-117%) to head-body length. Skull is large with the width between zygomatic arches 53-57%) of the condyle-basal one. Five pairs of mammae. Chromosomal complement 1s 2n = 40, FNa = 38.

Habitat. Mediterranean scrub and thicket, and abandoned fields from sea level up to 1605 m.

Food and Feeding. The Cypriot Mouse is probably omnivorous.

Breeding. Five females were bearing 5-7 embryos.

Activity patterns. Cypriot Mice are terrestrial and probably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Cucchi et al. (2006), Krystufek & Vohralik (2009).