40.

Makundi’s Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys makundii

French: Rat-hérissé de Makundi / German: Makundi-Blrstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de Makundi

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

Gerodom, Mt Hanang, Tanzania.

Lophuromys makundii was described during recent revision of the L. flavopunctatus species complex based on analyses of mtDNA and external and skull measurements. Monotypic.

Distribution. Mt Hanang, NC Tanzania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 118-134 mm, tail 59-85 mm, ear 16-H-20-7 mm, hindfoot 21-23 mm; weight 33-58 g. Makundi’s Brush-furred Rat has speckled pelage and a rather shorttail. It has significantly smaller hindfeet and longertail length than Verhagen’s Brush-furred Rat ( L. verhageni), smaller head-body length and longer ears than the Dark-colored Brush-furred Rat ( L. aquilus).

Habitat. Mountain forest and shrubs at elevations above 2000 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 [UCN Red List.

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