Dendromus nyasae Thomas 1916

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Nesomyidae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 930-955 : 940

Dendromus nyasae Thomas 1916

Dendromus nyasae Thomas 1916 , Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, 18: 241.

Type Locality: N Malawi, Nyika Plateau, 6500 ft (1981 m).

Vernacular Names: Kivu African Climbing Mouse.

Synonyms: Dendromus hintoni Bohmann 1939 ; Dendromus kivu Thomas 1916 ; Dendromus lunaris Osgood 1936 .

Distribution: Western Rift Mtns—Ruwenzoris in E Dem. Rep. Congo and W Uganda ( Kerbis Peterhans et al., 1998; Osgood, 1936; AMNH and FMNH), south through the E Dem. Rep. Congo (Kivu region; AMNH, BMNH, and MCZ) to the Marungu Mtns in SE Dem. Rep. Congo ( AMNH 55735), Mbizi Mtns in W Tanzania ( FMNH), SW Tanzania (Rungwe and Ukinga; AMNH, FMNH, MCZ; listed by G. M. Allen and Loveridge, 1933, as kivu ), Nyika Plateau in NE Zambia ( Ansell, 1978; Ansell and Ansell, 1973) and N Malawi, and highlands in S Malawi ( Ansell and Dowsett, 1988; Lawrence and Loveridge, 1953); also through the Eastern Arc Mtns, E Tanzania (Uzungwa Mtns, FMNH and MCZ; Uluguru highlands, holotype of hintoni ; Ukaguru Mtns, FMNH; Nguru Mtns, FMNH; South Pare Mtns, Stanley et al., 1998 a, as mesomelas ).

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc) as D. kivu .

Discussion: Dendromus nyasae and the three names in synonymy (based on study of all holotypes) have been treated as subspecies of the southern African D. mesomelas ( Bohmann, 1942; Misonne, 1974). The latter is larger in external dimensions; has longer pelage with upperparts brighter and buffier (darker, tawny hue in D. nyasae ), underparts white usually suffused with pale buff or ochraceous (dark grayish white in D. nyasae ); its skull is more robust with narrow interorbital and postorbital regions and more flaring zygomatic arches (interorbit constricted but postorbit wider), longer molar rows; and occurs commonly in lowlands ( D. nyasae is strictly montane). Ansell (1974 b, 1978) noted that specimens from NW Zambia identified as D. mesomelas major (= D. mesomelas ) were "quite distinct" from D. mesomelas nyasae (= D. nyasae ) on the Nyika Plateau, NE Zambia. In the Western Rift mtns, D. nyasae may occur sympatrically with D. insignis (see account). In morphology, D. nyasae seems to be most closely related to the small-bodied D. vernayi from the Angolan Plateau, D. oreas from the E Cameroon mountains, and the larger-bodied D. insignis from the mountains of East Africa. The four species may form a monophyletic group restricted to mountains and plateaus north of the Southern African Subregion and south of the Sahara.