Otomys helleri (Frick, 1914)

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Muridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 536-884 : 741

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6887260

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6868591

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E30E275-34AA-FF1B-E169-274D7E32874B

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Otomys helleri
status

 

382. View On

Heller's Vle 1 Rat

Otomys helleri View in CoL

French: Otomys de Heller / German: HellerLamellenzahnratte / Spanish: Rata de laguna de Heller

Taxonomy. Otomys jacksoni helleri Frick, 1914 View in CoL ,

Chilalo Divide Camp, 9000 ft (= 2743 m), Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

Otomys helleri previously was included in O. typus , but it is chromosomally, genetically, and morphologically distinct. Monotypic.

Distribution. Alpine habitats in Bale Mts and Arussi Plateau on E rim of Ethiopian Rift; possibly extending S into Melka Chireti, Somali Region, Ethiopia. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 123- 185 mm, tail 68-95 mm, ear 20-24 mm, hindfoot 23-30 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Heller’s Vlei Rat is large and robust, with large blunt head, short tail, and shaggy fur. Dorsum is dark brown, similar to the Ethiopian Vlei Rat ( O. typus ). Tail is short (c.53% of head-body length). Lower incisors each have two deep grooves. M has four laminae, and M? has modal number of eight laminae. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 58 and FNa = 58.

Habitat. Alpine grasslands.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Heller’s Vlei Rat is presumably diurnal or crepuscular.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List.

Bibliography. Frick (1914), Lavrenchenko et al. (1997), Monadjem et al. (2015), Taylor et al. (2011).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Muridae

Genus

Otomys

Loc

Otomys helleri

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr 2017
2017
Loc

Otomys jacksoni helleri

Frick 1914
1914
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