Stochomys longicaudatus ( Tullberg, 1893 )

Decher, Jan, Norris, Ryan W., Abedi-Lartey, Michael, Oppong, James, Hutterer, Rainer, Weinbrenner, Martin, Koch, Martin, Podsiadlowski, Lars & Kilpatrick, C. William, 2021, A survey of small mammals in the Volta Region of Ghana with comments on zoogeography and conservation, Zoosystema 43 (14), pp. 253-281 : 264

Stochomys longicaudatus ( Tullberg, 1893)

Dasymys longicaudatus Tullberg, 1893: 36 .

COMMON NAME. — Target Rat.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Apesokubi • 1 ♀; 4.5 km N Apesokubi ; USNM 590072 ; Sherman trap; 27.XI.1999 .

REMARK

Initially identified as Dephomys defua (Miller, 1900) we recently re-identified this specimen as Stochomys longicaudatus using molecular methods as part of another study (Pradhan et al. in prep; GenBank MT311314 ). Robbins & Van der Straeten (1996) previously stated that D. defua occurs only west of the Volta River. East of the Volta and in the Dahomey Gap it is replaced by the lower Guinean species S. longicaudatus . Van der Straeten (1984) lists 15 specimens from Dzogbégan, Misahohé and Palimé in Togo. There is also one specimen from Agou, Togo at the USNM (USNM 438334). Based on Grubb et al. (1998) and the latest monograph of this species ( Uebbing 2019), our specimen appears to be the first capture of S. longicaudatus from Ghana.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Stochomys longicaudatus is listed as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List, but, being mostly a forest species with a preference for dense understory vegetation close to water ( Uebbing 2019), it should be highly sensitive to further deforestation and bush fires in the Volta Region.