600. Hubert’s Multmammate Mouse Mastomys huberti

598.

Natal Mulumammate Mouse

Mastomys natalensis

French: Mastomys de Hubert / German: Hubert-Vielzitzenmaus / Spanish: Raton multimamas de Hubert

French: Mastomys du Natal / German: Natal-Vielzitzenmaus / Spanish: Raton multimamas de Natal

Other common names: Hubert's Mastomys

Other common names: Natal Mastomys

Taxonomy. Mus huberti Wroughton, 1908, “N. Nigeria (type from Zungeru).”

Taxonomy. Mus natalensis A. Smith, 1834, “Port Natal” (= Durban), South Africa . This species is monotypic.

Mastomys huberti was defined based on karyotypic and molecular data. Because populations from the type locality in northern Nigeria fall outside current known distribution and have not been karyotyped, huberti may turn out to be a synonym of M. natalensis . In this case, a new name would have to be applied to the species currently defined on chromosomal grounds. Monotypic.

Distribution. Sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal E to Somalia and S to N Namibia, N Botswana, and E South Africa, with an isolated record from N Sudan.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 76-155 mm, tail 70-174 mm, ear 12-22 mm, hindfoot 18— 26 mm; weight 15-98 g. Fur of the Natal Multimammate Mouse is darkish gray (young) to rusty brown (old) above, paler below. Tail is long (c.100% of head-body length) and scaly, with rather long hair. Ears are large, rounded, and naked. Forefeet and hindfeet are whitish. Females have 9-12 pairs of nipples. Chromosomal complementis 2n = 32 and FN = 52-54.

Habitat. Typically agricultural fields and houses butalso natural savannas. The Natal Multimammate Mouse is usually found in disturbed habitats and recently burned grasslands and absent from deserts, alpine regions, and rainforests.

Food and Feeding. Natal Multimammate Mice are generalist omnivores and considered to be major agricultural pests. They dig up maize seeds or climb stems to reach maize cobs. They also eat other seeds, leaves, and stems of grasses and shrubs; insects; and sometimes carrion.

Breeding. Breeding is distinctly seasonal, starting soon after onset of rains and continuing well into dry season. Chemicals in germinating seeds and young grass seedlings in diets stimulate sexual maturation. Gestation lasts 21-22 days. Meanlitter sizes are 10-12 young in Tanzania (up to 23) but less in other areas (e.g. six in Senegal and 4-5 in eastern DR Congo). Postpartum estrus lasts a few days after parturition, and interbirth interval is ¢.28 days.

Activity patterns. The Natal Multimammate Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Natal Multimammate Mice make simple underground nests, or use cracks in the ground or existing nests. Home ranges are ¢.1000 m* and overlap, with little evidence ofterritoriality. Individuals do not usually survive beyond their first reproductive season at twelve months of age. Extreme population fluctuations occur and in a population in Malawi numbers fluctuated from I ind/ha (dry season) to 40 ind/ha (wet season).

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

Bibliography. Dippenaaret al. (1993), Duplantier et al. (1990), Granjon et al. (1996), Happold (2013a), Leirs (1992), Leirs, Stenseth et al. (1997), Leirs, Verhagen, Sabuni et al. (1997), Leirs, Verhagen & Verheyen (1994), Monadjem et al. (2015).

599.

Reddish-white Multimammate Mouse

Mastomys erythroleucus

French: Mastomys roux-blanc / German: Guinea-Vielzitzenmaus / Spanish: Ratén multimamas blanquirojo

Other common names: Guinea Mastomys, Guinea Multimammate Mouse, Reddish-white Mastomys

Taxonomy. Mus erythroleucus Temminck, 1853, “Guiné [= Guineal.”

Four genetically determined groups of M. erythroleucus are present in this species complex. Monotypic.

Distribution. N savannas from Senegal E to C Ethiopia and S to Cameroon, Central African Republic, NE DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, N shores of Lake Victoria, and C Kenya, with an isolated population in WC Morocco.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 92-178 mm, tail 81-151 mm, ear 15-23 mm, hindfoot 20-27 mm; weight 32-107 g. Fur of the Reddish-white Multimammate Mouse is reddish brown above and creamy below, with ventral and dorsal colors reasonably delineated. Tail is long (¢.89% of head-body length) and scaly, dark above and paler below. Forefeet and hindfeet are whitish. Females have twelve pairs of nipples. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 38 and FN = 50-60.

Habitat. Grasslands, fields, disturbed areas around houses, and secondary forest.

Food and Feeding. The Reddish-white Multimammate Mouse is mainly granivorous, but insects and other plant parts are eaten. Increases in green vegetation in diets in early wet season coincide with start of reproduction.

Breeding. Breeding is seasonal, starting in wet season and extending well into dry season. Gestation is 21 days; litters have 1-21 young.

Activity patterns. The Reddish-white Multimammate Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Population outbreaks have occurred in Senegal, making them serious agricultural pests. Densities have increased from 1 ind/ha to more than 100 ind/ha.

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

Bibliography. Bekele & Leirs (1997), Duplantier & Granjon (1988), Duplantier et al. (1996), Happold (2013a), Hubert (1982), Hubert et al. (1981), Monadjem et al. (2015).

Distribution. Mainly Senegal River Delta ( Senegal and adjacent extreme S Mauritania) and Inner NigerDelta (Mali), but also patchily in W & S Senegal and W Guinea. Descriptive notes. Head-body 74-146 mm, tail 62-120 mm, ear 14-20 mm, hindfoot 20-25 mm; weight 10-91 g. Fur of Hubert’s Multimammate Mouse is dark gray (young) to rusty brown (old) or blackish ( Senegal) above, dark below. Tail is long (c.84% of head-body length) and scaly, dark above and sometimes paler below. Forefeet and hindfeet are whitish. Females have twelve pairs of nipples. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 32 and FN = 44-46. Habitat. Humid areas in marshes, grasslands, and agricultural fields. Food and Feeding. Stomachs of Hubert’s Multimammate Mice have contained insects, grains, leaves, stems, roots, and fruit pulp. Breeding. Breeding occurs year-round in mesic areas. Gestation is 21 days;litters have 1-27 young. Activity patterns. The Hubert’s Multimammate Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Densities of 10-108 ind/ha were recorded in the Saloum Delta in Senegal . Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Duplantier & Granjon (1988), Duplantier et al. (1996), Granjon, Cosson et al. (2005), Granjon, Duplantier et al. (1997), Granjon, Ganem et al. (1994), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Sicard et al. (1999).