Megadendromus nikolausi, Dieterlen & Rupp, 1978

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Nesomyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 156-203 : 197

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6600357

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6600287

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03993828-FFFC-0F58-FAFF-F7E9CA2CF238

treatment provided by

Felipe (2022-05-31 19:24:34, last updated 2024-11-26 00:29:20)

scientific name

Megadendromus nikolausi
status

 

43. View Plate 8: Nesomyidae

Nikolaus’s African Climbing Mouse

Megadendromus nikolausi View in CoL

French: Dendromus des Bale / German: Riesenklettermaus / Spanish: Raton trepador africano de Nikolaus

Other common names: Bale Mouse, Giant Climbing Mouse, Nikolaus's Mouse

Taxonomy. Megadendromus nikolausi Dieterlen & Rupp, 1978 View in CoL ,

Bale Mountains , Ethiopia .

Recent molecular analysis suggests that this species belongs in the genus Dendromus . This would render the genus Megadendromus a synonym of Dendromus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to the Ethiopian highlands E of the Rift Valley (Bale and Arsi Mts). View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 117- 129 mm,tail 92-106 mm, ear 23-26 mm, hindfoot 26-27 mm; weight 49-66 g. Nikolaus’s African Climbing Mouse is small, with a relatively short tail about the same length as the body. Fur is relatively long, soft and russet-brown dorsally and grayish brown ventrally. There is an obvious mid-dorsal stripe extending from neck to base oftail. Ears are relatively large and rounded. Limbs are adapted for climbing, but short tail suggests predominantly terrestrial lifestyle. Second to fourth digits of forelimbs have elongated claws, and first and fifth digits are greatly reduced or absent. Hindlimb has five functional digits.

Habitat. High-elevation montane forest and Erica arborea ( Ericaceae ) scrub forest at 3000-3800 m ofaltitude.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Nikolaus’s African Climbing Mouse is known from justfive specimens,collected at four localities in the Bale and Arsi mountains, Ethiopia.

Bibliography. Demeter & Topél (1982), Dieterlen & Rupp (1978), Lavrenchenko et al. (2017), Monadjem et al. (2015), Yalden (2013c).

Gallery Image

1. White-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys albicauda), 2. Hairy-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys villosus), 3. Sleek-furred Ground Rat (Gymnuromys robert), 4. Antsingy Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus antsingy), 5. Carleton’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus carletoni), 6. Daniel’s Tufted-tail Rat (Elurus daniels), 7. Ellerman’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus ellermani), 8. Grandidier’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus grandidieri), 9. Major's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus majori), 10. Lesser Tufted-taill Rat (Elurus minor), 11. Milne-Edwards’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus myoxinus), 12. White-tailed Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus penicillatus), 13. Petter’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus petteri), 14. Tanala Tufted-taill Rat (Elwurus tanala), 15. Webb's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus webbi), 16. Anjozorobe Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo antsahabensis), 17. Northern Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo gymnocaudus), 18. Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi), 19. Ankarafantsika Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys ingens), 20. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys peter), 21. Koopman' ’ s Forest Mouse (Monticolomys koopmani), 22. Giant Jumping Rat (Hypogeomys antimena), 23. Small Short-tailed Rat (Brachywromys betsileoensis), 24. Large Short-tailed Rat (Brachyuromys ramirohitra), 25. Audebert’s Forest Rat (Nesomys audeberti), 26. Lamberton’s Forest Rat (Nesomys lambertoni), 27. Red Forest Rat (Nesomys rufus), 28. Delany’s Swamp Mouse (Delanymys brooksi), 29. African White-tailed Rat (Mystromys albicaudatus), 30. Shortridge’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus shortridger), 31. Short-eared Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus monticularis), 32. Barbour’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus barbouri), 33. Common Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus collinus)

Gallery Image

Distribution. Endemic to the Ethiopian highlands E of the Rift Valley (Bale and Arsi Mts).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

SubOrder

Myomorpha

SuperFamily

Muroidea

Family

Nesomyidae

Genus

Megadendromus