478.

Single-striped Grass Mouse

Lemniscomys rosalia

French: Rat-rayé de Tanzanie / German: Einstreifengrasmaus / Spanish: Raton de hierba de una lista

Other common names: Single-striped Lemniscomys, Single-striped Mouse

Taxonomy. Arvicanthis dorsalis rosalia Thomas, 1904,

“Monda, Nguru Mountains, German East Africa [= Tanzania].”

Lemniscomys rosalia was previously included within L. griselda, but was shown by E. Van der Straeten in 1980 to be a separate species. It appears to be closest to L. griselda and L. roseveari . Monotypic.

Distribution. Widespread in E & S Africa, from Kenya S to NE South Africa and W to S Angola and N Namibia .

Descriptive notes. Head—body 96-161 mm, tail 88-160 mm, ear 7-20 mm, hindfoot 24-33 mm; weight 33-82 g. The Single-striped Grass Mouse has coarse fur orange to brownish with dark brown flecks above, becoming richer buffy on rump and slightly paler on flanks, contrasting with white oroff-white venter; a single inconspicuous black mid-dorsal stripe (no lateral stripes). Eye-ring is yellowish orange, and ears are mediums-sized and buffy. Tail is relatively short (¢.86% of head-body length), black above, whitishbuff below, thickly covered with hairs in middle section. Limbs are of same color as flanks. Forefoot first and fifth digits are highly reduced, and hindfootfirst and fifth digits reduced. Females have 2+2 = 4 pairs of nipples. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 54, FN = 64 (Tanzania).

Habitat. Wide range of savannas in areas having long grasses. Occurs also in agricultural areas.

Food and Feeding. Stomachs from Swaziland contained vegetable matter (85%) and seeds (15%).

Breeding. Reproduction is confined to wet season. Litter size 2-11. Gestation in captivity c¢.24 days.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Single-striped Grass Mice vacate burnt areas, but return to their former home range after three months. Home ranges do not overlap. In captivity individuals show aggression toward eachother, but males share nests with females and help to rear young.

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

Bibliography. Castiglia et al. (2002), Denys et al. (2011), Fadda et al. (2001), Happold (2013a), Monadjem & Perrin (1997), Monadjem et al. (2015), Scott & Meester (1988), Van der Straeten (1980a).