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Verreaux’s Meadow Mouse

Myomyscus verreauxi

French: Myomyscus de Verreaux / German: Verreaux-\ Wiesenratte / Spanish: Raton de campina de Verreaux

Other common names: Verreaux's Myomyscus, Verreaux's White-footed Rat, White-footed Mouse

Taxonomy. Mus verroxii [sic] A. Smith, 1834,

near Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Myomyscus verreauxii was previously grouped in the genus Myomys, but that genus was later shown to be a synonym of Mastomys . Myomyscus verreauxii is the type species for the genus, and because other members ( M. brockmani and M. yemeni) are genetically distinct from M.verreauxi,

it seems likely that M. verreauxii is the only species representing the genus Myomyscus . Nevertheless, pending finalization of the correct generic affiliations of other species, they are provisionally retained in Myomyscus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to Western Cape Province, South Africa, from Olifants River in the W to Plettenberg Bay and Knysna in the E.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 90-113 mm, tail 130-148 mm, ear 17-19 mm, hindfoot 25-27 mm; weight 22-52 g. Fur of Verreaux’s Meadow Mouse is buffy brown above becoming paler on flanks, whitish gray withshorter hairs below. Lips, chin, and throat are buffy brown. Tail is very long (c.135% of head-body length), scaly with short bristles, dark above, and paler below. Ears are large and naked. Hindfeet and forefeet are white. Females have five pairs of nipples.

Habitat. Around “vleis” (shallow intermittent small lakes) in heath (“fynbos”) habitats, especially those dominated by species of Proteaceae . Verreaux’s Meadow Mice have also been recorded in grassy vleis and forested valleys.

Food and Feeding. Verreaux’s Meadow Mice are known to eat seeds of Proteaceae and insects. They are probably important pollinators of Protea spp.

Breeding. Verreaux’s Meadow Mouse probably breeds seasonally, with births occurring during late wet season.

Activity patterns. Verreaux’s Meadow Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. De Graaff (1981), Happold (2013a), Lecompte, Aplin et al. (2008), Lecompte, Granjon & Denys (2002), Monadjem et al. (2015), Skinner & Chimimba (2005).