390.

Dent’s Vlei Rat

Otomys denti

French: Otomys de Dent / German: Dent-Lamellenzahnratte / Spanish: Rata de laguna de Dent

Taxonomy. Otomys denti Thomas, 1906,

“Ruwenzori East, 6000’ [= 1829 m],” Uganda. Restricted by R. E. Moreau and colleagues in 1946 to Mabuku Valley, east slope of Mt. Rwenzori, Uganda .

Otomys dent: previously was included in O. sungae from Nyika Plateau in Malawi and northern Eastern Arc Mountains in northern Tanzania, but they can be distinguished based on morphological and molecular grounds. The form kemp: was

originally described as a distinct species or subspecies, but it cannot be distinguished genetically or morphologically from denti . Monotypic.

Distribution. From the Rwenzori Mts in Uganda and DR Congo S to Albertine Rift Mts in Rwanda, Burundi, and neighboring DR Congo.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 139-165 mm, tail 78-102 mm, ear 20-23 mm, hindfoot 27-32 mm; weight 67-106 g. Dent's Vlei Ratis large and robust, with large blunt head, shorttail, and shaggy fur; it is slightly smaller than the East African Vlei Rat ( O. tropicalis). Dorsum is dark blackish brown, with coppery tinge above and below; it is darker than all other species of Otomys . Tail is short (c.54% of head-body length) and black above and below. Females have twopairs of nipples. Upper and lower incisors each have single groove. M has four laminae, and M? has 5-6 laminae.

Habitat. Damp grasslands and secondary growth associated with forests at elevations of 1950-3000 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Dent’s Vlei Rat is terrestrial and presumably diurnal or crepuscular.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Dollman (1915), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Moreau et al. (1946), Taylor, Maree, van Sandwyk, Kerbis Peterhans et al. (2009).