Mus mayori (Thomas, 1915)

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 : 796

562.

Mayor’s Mouse

Mus mayori

French: Souris de Mayor / German: Mayor-Maus / Spanish: Raton de Mayor

Other common names: Highland Rat

Taxonomy. Coelomys mayori Thomas, 1915 ,

“Pattipola, highlands of Central Province, Ceylon [= Sri Lanka], Alt. 6210’ [= 1893 m].”

Was recognized as a member of the subgenus Coelomys, but morphological and molecular characters led P. Chevret and colleagues to includeit, in 2003, in a larger Coelomys clade that also contains M. crociduroides , M. pahari , and M. vulcani . The Coelomys clade is well supported by different molecular and morphological studies, but the inclusion of M. mayor: was not confirmed in a recent study. Lowland populations previously separated as race pococki , but more recent studies have found no significant differences to warrant subspecific distinction. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from scattered localities in rainforests of C & SW Sri Lanka.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 98 mm, tail 102 mm, ear 17 mm, hindfoot 22-5 26 mm. No specific data are available for

body weight. Mayor’s Mouse is the size of a small rat. Tail is slender, scaly, bicolored, and dark above and paler below;tail is equal to head-body length. Fur is long and profuse with spines, dorsal pelage is speckled mummy brown with hairs tipped buffy, while ventral pelage is grayish brownish. Females bear five pairs of mammae.

Habitat. Forests, in lowlands and mountains, as well as grasslands, at elevations between 165 m and 2310 m.

Food and Feeding. Diet consists of seeds, plant roots, insects, and eggs.

Breeding. Females were recovered with three young on average.

Activity patterns. Mayor’s Mice are terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Mayor’s Mice dig burrows.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Mayor’s Mouse is widespread and relatively abundant; deforestation and domestic cats may be serious threats.

Bibliography. Chevret et al. (2003), Corbet & Hill (1992), Marshall (1977a), Musser & Carleton (2005), Yapa & Ratnavira (2013).

Figures

Distribution. Known from scattered localities in rainforests of C & SW Sri Lanka.