432.

Hinde’s Rock Rat

Aethomys hindei

French: Aethomys de Hinde / German: Hinde-Buschlandratte / Spanish: Rata de roca de Hinde

Other common names: Hinde's Aethomys, Hinde's Veld Rat

Taxonomy. Mus hindei Thomas, 1902,

Machakos, Kenya.

Aethomys hinder is highly variable morphologically and probably comprises unrecognized cryptic species.It has previously been included within A. kaiseri . Monotypic.

Distribution. C Cameroon E to S Ethiopia, Kenya and N Tanzania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 120-175 mm, tail 120-188 mm, ear 18-25 mm, hindfoot 27-35 mm; weight 87-158 g. Males are on average larger than females, with considerable overlap in measurements between sexes. A large rat, Hinde’s Rock Rat has fur medium brown dorsally and grayish white ventrally. Ears are medium-sized and brown. Tail is relatively short, shorter (c.85% of head-body length) in populations east of East African Rift Valley compared with those in west (c.100% of head-body length), dark brown to black in color and finely scaled with fine hairs. Limbs are short and foreand hindfeet dorsally white, with four digits on forefoot and five on hindfoot Karyotype is 2n = 50.

Habitat. Rocky areas in savanna with dense grass cover, disturbed forest, agricultural fields, and montane forest—grassland ecotones on lower slopes (below 2000 m) of mountains.

Food and Feeding. In captivity, Hinde’s Rock Rat feeds on grains,fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Breeding. Reproduction occurs throughout year, with most pregnancies in wet season and subadults caught in dry season. Nipple-clinging observed. In captivity, gestation lasts 24-25 days, with average litter size of two (1-4). Development is rapid: young open eyes at 14 days, leave nest from 15 days.

Activity patterns. Hinde’s Rock Rats are terrestrial, and both nocturnal and diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Home range is 30-1600 m?. Females make globular grass nests. In disturbed forest in Uganda, densities fluctuated annually by factor of 3-4, peaking at 22-6 ind/ha.

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

Bibliography. Hubbard (1972), Okia (1976), Denys & Tranier (1992), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser & Carleton (2005).