488.

Kemp's Thicket Rat

Thamnomys kempi

French: Thamnomys de Kemp / German: Kemp-Dickichtratte / Spanish: Rata de acacias de Kemp

Other common names: Dollman’s Thamnomys, Dollman’s Thicket Rat, Kemp's Thamnomys

Taxonomy. Thamnomys kempi Dollman, 1911,

Buhamba, near Lake Kivu, 1930 m, DR Congo.

Monotypic.

Distribution. Restricted to Lake Kivu region of the Albertine Rift (E DR Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 130-173 mm,tail 170-226 mm, ear 20-26 mm, hindfoot 27-32 mm; weight 62-108 g. A large, long-tailed, arboreal rodent, Kemp's Thicket Rat has fur that is long, soft, and bright orange rufous above, especially on rump, becoming slate-gray washed with bright yellowish buff on flanks. Venter is whitish with yellowish tint, sharply delineated from flanks, sometimes by thin yellow line. Head is grayish buff, with black nose tip. Eyes surrounded by darkring. Ears have brownish hairs on outer surface and golden-buff hairs on inside. Feet are buff with dark patches on upper surface; hindfeet broad. Tail is very long (c.130% of head-body length), slightly scaly, dark above and paler below, with conspicuous terminal tuft of longer hairs. Females have 0+2 = 2 pairs of nipples.

Habitat. Thickets in open areas of montane secondary forest.

Food and Feeding. Diet is herbivorous, comprising entirely green matter, probably leaves, buds, and fruits of plants.

Breeding. Reproduction occurs throughout year. Litter size is small (1-2).

Activity patterns. Kemp's Thicket Rat is nocturnal and crepuscular. It is scansorial (adapted for climbing).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kemp's Thicket Rats make large nests.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Dieterlen (1999), Dollman (1911a), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015).