382.

Heller's Vle 1 Rat

Otomys helleri

French: Otomys de Heller / German: HellerLamellenzahnratte / Spanish: Rata de laguna de Heller

Taxonomy. Otomys jacksoni helleri Frick, 1914,

Chilalo Divide Camp, 9000 ft (= 2743 m), Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

Otomys helleri previously was included in O. typus, but it is chromosomally, genetically, and morphologically distinct. Monotypic.

Distribution. Alpine habitats in Bale Mts and Arussi Plateau on E rim of Ethiopian Rift; possibly extending S into Melka Chireti, Somali Region, Ethiopia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 123- 185 mm, tail 68-95 mm, ear 20-24 mm, hindfoot 23-30 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Heller’s Vlei Rat is large and robust, with large blunt head, short tail, and shaggy fur. Dorsum is dark brown, similar to the Ethiopian Vlei Rat ( O. typus). Tail is short (c.53% of head-body length). Lower incisors each have two deep grooves. M has four laminae, and M? has modal number of eight laminae. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 58 and FNa = 58.

Habitat. Alpine grasslands.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Heller’s Vlei Rat is presumably diurnal or crepuscular.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List.

Bibliography. Frick (1914), Lavrenchenko et al. (1997), Monadjem et al. (2015), Taylor et al. (2011).