Saccostomus mearnst, Heller, 1910

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 : 196-197

publication ID

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

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6600281

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03993828-FFFF-0F58-FA20-F401C824FA81

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Saccostomus mearnst
status

 

40. View Plate 8: Nesomyidae

East African Pouched Mouse

Saccostomus mearnst View in CoL

French: Saccostome de Mearns / German: Ostafrika-Kurzschwanzhamsterratte / Spanish: Ratén de abazones de Africa oriental

Other common names: Mearn’'s Pouched Mouse

Taxonomy. Saccostomus mearnsi Heller, 1910 View in CoL ,

“ Changamwe , British East Africa [= Kenya].”

Molecular and morphological variation within S. mearnsi recently demonstrated two different species, referable here as S. mearnsi and S. umbriventer . Monotypic.

Distribution. E Uganda, Kenya, SW Ethiopia, and S Somalia. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 101-150 mm, tail 38-74 mm, ear 14-22 mm, hindfoot 18-25 mm; weight 43-69 g. The East African Pouched Mouse is medium-sized, with well-developed cheek pouches. Fur is soft and gray dorsally, clearly demarcated from white belly. Chin, throat, and upper chest are white. Ears are rounded. Tail is noticeably short and sparsely covered in bristles. Limbs are white, with four digits on forefeet and five digits on hindfeet.

Habitat. Wide range of savanna and woodlands,typically below elevations of¢.1500 m.

Food and Feeding. The East African Pouched Mouse is omnivorous, switching from green plant matter during the dry season to seeds after rains. In laboratory tests, individuals prefer forbs more than seeds.

Breeding. Proportion of female East African Pouched Mice in breeding condition increases after rains and then drops in the dry season. Proportion of breeding males, however, remains high throughout the year.

Activity patterns. The East African Pouched Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial. Individuals excavate burrows or take over existing holes such as those in termite mounds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The East African Pouched Mouse is solitary. In central Kenya, densities fluctuate from 16 ind/ha to 42 ind/ha throughout the year. Interannual variation may be even larger. In the absence of mammalian predators, densities can reach more than 80 ind/ha. Females appear to be territorial. Males are randomly distributed, with larger home ranges (0-21 ha) than females (0-06 ha).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Bergstrom (2013), Corti, Castiglia, Annesi & Verheyen (2004), Corti, Castiglia, Colangelo et al. (2005), Denys (1988, 1992), Hubert (1978a), Keesing (1998, 2013), Keesing & Crawford (2001), Keesing & Young (2014), Metz & Keesing (2001), Mikula et al. (2016), Monadjem et al. (2015), Petter (1966a).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Nesomyidae

Genus

Saccostomus

Loc

Saccostomus mearnst

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

Saccostomus mearnsi

Heller 1910
1910
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