46.

Sheko Forest Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys pseudosikapusi

French: Rat-hérissé de Sheko / German: Sheko-Biirstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de Sheka

Taxonomy. Lophuromys pseudosikapusi Lavrenchenko et al, 2007,

Sheko forest, Ethiopia.

Lophuromys pseudosikapusi was recently described to characterize an Ethiopian population initially named L. cf. sikapusi, and then during a general revision of the Ethiopian members of the genus, it was attributed to the L. flavopunctatus species complex and elevated to species rank. It was defined based on mtDNA sequencing and morphometric analyses. Monotypic.

Distribution. Sheko Forest, SW Ethiopia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 130-138 mm, tail 78-86 mm, ear 19-5-20 mm, hindfoot 23-5-25 mm; weight 53-67 g. Skull morphology of the Sheko Forest Brush-furred Ratis similar to the Ethiopian Brush-furred Rat( L. brunneus) and the Simien Brush-furred Rat (L. simensis). Externally, the Sheko Forest Brushfurred Rat has unspeckled blackish-reddish dorsum and orange belly. Tail is relatively long (61-2% of head-body length) and almost naked.Skull is large, with narrow flat braincase and narrow rostrum. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 70 and FNa = 84.

Habitat. Disturbed Afro-montane forests with Ficus and Coffea arabica plantations at elevations of ¢.1930 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List as a distinct species. Only two specimens are recorded from a single mountain forest of Ethiopia, and additional data are required to better understand conservation needs and appropriate classification of the Sheko Forest Brush-furred Rat.

Bibliography. Lavrenchenko, Verheyen, E. et al. (2004), Lavrenchenko, Verheyen, W.N. et al. (2007), Monadjem et al. (2015).