51.

Western Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys sikapusi

French: Rat-hérissé de Temminck / German: Rostbauch-Birstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo occidental

Other common names: Rusty-bellied Brush-furred Rat

Taxonomy. Mus sikapusi Temminck, 1853,

Dabracom Gold Coast, Ghana.

A revision of the L. sikapusi species group concluded that L. sikapusi was restricted to West Central Africa to the Sanaga River (Cameroon), and L. ansorgei and L. angolensis were considered distinct, which is followed here pending further revision of the L. sikapusi species complex. Monotypic.

Distribution. From Guinea E to Cameroon, N of the Sanaga River, including Sierra Leone, Liberia, S Ghana, S Ivory Coast, S Togo, S Benin, and S Nigeria.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 110-145 mm,tail 58-75 mm, ear 14-18 mm, hindfoot 20-25 mm; weight 34-87 g. The Western Brush-furred Rat is unspeckled and small. Dorsum is rufous to rusty; venter is orange pale rufous or red, and some individuals are darker brown than others. Hindfeet are short, and tail is 50-60% of head-body length. Females have three pairs of mammae. Diploid numbers and cytotypes differ throughout the distribution. Distinct chromosomal complements have been found: 9n = 66 and FNa = 74 in coastal Guinea and 2n = 64, FN = 76 or 2n = 60, FN = 70-76 on Mount Nimba, Ivory Coast.

Habitat. Lowland rainforest, swampy areas,rice fields, fallow fields and clearings, and grasslands with abundant ground cover at elevations below 1700 m.

Food and Feeding. Western Brush-furred Rats are omnivorous, with important insect components in diets. They forage in litter and soil to catch insects, millipedes, earthworms, and snails and to find fallen fruits and seeds. In southern Nigeria and Ivory Coast, insects, earthworms, and plant material were found in stomachs.

Breeding. In southern Nigeria, pregnancy is recorded during the wet season (March— June). Gestation is ¢.30 days with 2-5 embryos; litters have 2-3 young.

Activity patterns. Western Brush-furred Rats are terrestrial and nocturnal or crepuscular. They make tunnels through litter and long grass and build dry grass nests on the ground’s surface or just below.

54.

Verhagen’s Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys verhageni

French: Rat-hérissé de Verhagen / German: Verhagen-Biirstenhaaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de Verhagen

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (including L. angolensis and L. ansorgei). The Western Brush-furred Rat is abundant, with wide distribution and capacity to live in various habitats including degraded ones. Nevertheless, logging, burning, and intensification of agriculture might be future threats. The Western Brush-furred Rat is considered a delicacy and is hunted as bushmeat in areas of Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Taxonomy. Lophuromys verhageni W. N. Verheyen et al, 2002,

Mt Meru, 03°13’47” S, 36°41°34” E (2600 m), Tanzania .

During the revision of the L. flavopunctatus species complex, L. verhageni was described as distinct especially from L. aguilus from Mount Kilimanjaro by using morphological and craniometric analyses. Molecular analyses (mtDNA) confirmed validity of L. verhageni and placed it close to L. aquilus and L. brunneus . Some authors disagree about validity of L. verhageni, but they never express any arguments for synonymization. Monotypic.

Bibliography. Bonwitt et al. (2016), Denys, Lalis et al. (2009), Dieterlen (1976b), Funmilayo & Akande (1979), Gautun et al. (1986), Grubb et al. (1998), Happold (1974, 1987), Heim de Balsac & Aellen (1965), Matthey (1958), Roche (1962), Rosevear (1969), Verheyen, Dierckx & Hulselmans (2000), Verheyen, Hulselmans et al. (1997).

52.

Simien Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys simensis

French: Rat-hérissé des Simien / German: Simien-Birstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de Simien

Distribution. Mt Meru, N Tanzania.

Taxonomy. Lophuromys flavopunctatus simensis Osgood, 1936,

Mt Simien, Ethiopia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 112-140 mm, tail 43-81 mm, ear 14-3-22 mm, hindfoot 21-23-5 mm; weight 40-64 g. Verhagen’s Brush-furred Ratis speckled and has short tail (50-60% of head-body length). It is quite a large, with slender skull and weak supraorbital ridges.

Lophuromys simensis was originally described as subspecies of L. flavopunctatus, an opinion followed by many authors until L. simensis was synonymized with L. brunneus . Lophuromys simensis was recently elevated to species rank based on molecular (mtDNA) and morphometric analyses including new topotype specimens. Its closest relative is L. menageshae. Further molecular studies are required to verify specific status of Ethiopian members of the L. flavopunctatus species complex. Monotypic.

Habitat. Afro-alpine grassland and bush with small pools heavily surrounded by papyrus sedge ( Cyperaceae) at edges or above mountain forests, and heather bush and some bamboo at elevations of 2300-3600 m.

Distribution. Simien Mts and Lake Tana region W of the Rift Valley, Ethiopia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 114-145 mm, tail 58-85 mm, ear 15-20 mm, hindfoot 21-25 mm; weight 37-74 g. The Simien Brush-furred Rat externally looks like a Buffsspotted Brush-furred Rat ( L. flavopunctatus). Dorsum is speckled and darkish to brownish; venter is yellowish cream to pale orange. Tail is bicolored and short, 53-5% of head-body length (range 42-63%). Claws are black. Chromosomal complementis 2n = 70 and FNa = 84.

Habitat. Dry woodlands and Afro-alpine grasslands and moorlands at elevations of 1600-3800 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. Because the Simien Brush-furred Rat is found in various habitats, it may be Least Concern; however, lack of basic life history data suggest that Data Deficient is an appropriate classification.

Bibliography. Lavrenchenko, Verheyen, E. et al. (2004), Lavrenchenko, Verheyen, W.N. et al. (2007), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1936), Verheyen et al. (2002).

53.

Rwenzori Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys stanleyi

French: Rat-hérissé de Stanley / German: Ruwenzori-Blrstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de Rwenzori

Taxonomy. Lophuromys stanleyi W. N. Verheyen et al., 2007,

Mount Rwenzori-Bujuku, DR Congo (00.22° N-29.58° E, 3700 m).

Lophuromys stanley: is member of the L. flavopunctatus species complex and was named during partial revision of the L. aguilus species complex. It is characterized by craniometric and genetic character-istics; its skull proportions are similar to L. laticeps, and molecularly, it is similar to L. margarettae and L. zena (cytochrome-b). Lophuromys stanleyi is one of four endemic species in the Rwenzori Mountains diversity hotspot. Monotypic. Distribution. Rwenzori Mts, E DR Congo and SW Uganda. Descriptive notes. Head-body 113-126 mm, tail 40-80 mm, ear 16-19 mm, hindfoot 22-24 mm; weight 36-55 g. The Rwenzori Brush-furred Rat has a speckled pelage similar to other speciesin the L. flavopunctatus species complex. Tail is short, 50-60% of head-body length. Habitat. Poorly known, but type specimen was collected at an elevation of 3700 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. The Rwenzori Brushfurred Rat could be classified as Data Deficient because of lack of basic life history information.

Bibliography. Monadjem et al. (2015), Verheyen et al. (2007).

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. Verhagen’s Brush-furred Rat probablywould be best classified as Data Deficient because of lack basic knowledge aboutits life history and ecology.

Bibliography. Monadjem et al. (2015), Stanley & Kihaule (2016), Verheyen, Hulselmans, Dierckx, Mulungu et al. (2007), Verheyen, Hulselmans, Dierckx & Verheyen (2002).