578.

African Smoky Mouse

Heimyscus fumosus

French: Rat de De Balsac / German: Afrikanische Rauchmaus / Spanish: Raton ahumado de Africa

Other common names: Smoky Heimyscus

Taxonomy. Hylomyscus fumosus Brosset, Dubost & Heim de Balsac, 1965,

Makokou, Gabon.

Heimyscus fumosus was previously included in Hylomyscus but given its own genus in 1969. Monotypic.

Distribution. Narrowly distributed in C African rainforests of S Cameroon, SW Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and NW Republic of the Congo.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 80-98 mm, tail 86-111 mm, ear 14-18 mm, hindfoot 19-22 mm; weight 16-31 g. Female African Smoky Mice are heavier than males. Fur is soft, short, and grayish brown, with reddish tint above and grayish white belly. Tail appears naked and is about the same length as head-body length. There are six nipples. First and fifth digits are reduced.

Habitat. Rainforest, preferring primary forest to disturbed secondary forest; in primary rainforest prefers microhabitats with dense understory and open canopy away from rivers.

Food and Feeding. Diet is composed of insects, fruits, and seeds.

Breeding. In Gabon, breeding can be continuous or seasonal from August to March. Females have 1-4 young/ litter.

Activity patterns. The African Smoky Mouse is strictly terrestrial and inhabits underground burrows or cavities among tree roots.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The African Smoky Mouse is typically one of the most common rodents where it occurs, with densities of 0-4-2-7 ind/ ha depending on time of year. In Gabon, home ranges were slightly larger for males (2900 m?) than females (2500 m?).

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

Bibliography. Brosset et al. (1965), Duplantier (1982, 1989), Happold (2013a), Malcolm & Ray (2000), Misonne (1969), Monadjem et al. (2015), Nicolas & Colyn (2003), Ray (1996).