Western Saharan spiny mouse
Western Saharan spiny mouse | |
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Conservation status | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Muridae |
Genus: | Acomys |
Species: | A. airensis |
Binomial name | |
Acomys airensis Thomas & Hinton, 1921 |
The Western Saharan spiny mouse or Aïr spiny mouse (Acomys airensis) is a species of small, insectivorous rodent in the family Muridae[2] found arid regions of western Africa.
Description
The Western Saharan spiny mouse is a small mouse with large ears, small eyes and a sharp snout. The fur on its back is tawny, each hair being grey at the base with a rufous sub-terminal band and a grey tip. It takes its name from a line of spiny hairs on the posterior part of the back, in older mice the spiny hairs spread forwards along the back towards the head. The ventral fur is white and separated clearly from the flanks. There are small white patches under the eye and behind the ears.[3]
Distribution
The Western Saharan spiny mouse occurs north of the Niger River and has been recorded with certainty in southern Mauritania, Mali and Niger but which may also occur in Chad, Western Sahara and southernmost parts of Algeria.[1]
Habitat
This species occurs in the Sahel savanna biogeographical zone where it is found in rocky areas but also in gardens and even within buildings but has also been found in a sandy area of the Inner Niger Delta. It has a maximum altitude at which it occurs of 1000m above sea level.[1][3]
Habits
The Western Saharan spiny mouse is terrestrial and mainly nocturnal, although some have been recorded as active during the day. It probably rests in cracks and crevices in rocks rather than burrowing. In southern Mauritania pregnant females have been found in August and October. Rather common and readily trapped in many areas. Barn owls appear to be major predators of these mice. The skin on the tail breaks off easily.[3] Like other members of the genus Acomys this mouse is omnivorous but mainly insectivorous.[1]
Taxonomy
Formerly considered conspecific with Cairo spiny mouse Acomys cahirinus but there are differences in the number of chromosomes. It may be conspecific with Chudeau's spiny mouse Acomys chudeaui from Morocco and, if that is the case, then the correct species name is Acomys chudeaui as this name has precedence.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d Schlitter, D. (2016). "Acomys airensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T44936A22453090. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T44936A22453090.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ a b c d Jonathan Kingdon; David Happold; Thomas Butynski; Michael Hoffmann; Meredith Happold; Jan Kalina (2013). Mammals of Africa Volumes 1-6. A&C Black. pp. 219–220. ISBN 1408189968.
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(Spiny mice)
- Western Saharan spiny mouse (A. airensis)
- Cairo spiny mouse (A. cahirinus)
- Chudeau's spiny mouse (A. chudeaui)
- Asia Minor spiny mouse (A. cilicicus)
- Gray spiny mouse (A. cineraceus)
- Eastern spiny mouse (A. dimidiatus)
- Fiery spiny mouse (A. ignitus)
- Johan's spiny mouse (A. johannis)
- Kemp's spiny mouse (A. kempi)
- Louise's spiny mouse (A. louisae)
- Crete spiny mouse (A. minous)
- Mullah spiny mouse (A. mullah)
- Muze spiny mouse (A. muzei)
- Cyprus spiny mouse (A. nesiotes)
- Nguru spiny mouse (A. ngurui)
- Percival's spiny mouse (A. percivali)
- Golden spiny mouse (A. russatus)
- Seurat's spiny mouse (A. seurati)
- Southern African spiny mouse (A. spinosissimus)
- Cape spiny mouse (A. subspinosus)
- Wilson's spiny mouse (A. wilsoni)
- Link rat (D. ferrugineus)
(Brush-furred mice)
- Subgenus Kivumys
- Yellow-bellied brush-furred rat (L. luteogaster)
- Medium-tailed brush-furred rat (L. medicaudatus)
- Woosnam's brush-furred rat (L. woosnami)
- Subgenus Lophuromys
- Angolan brush-furred rat (L. angolensis)
- Ansorge's brush-furred rat (L. ansorgei)
- Gray brush-furred rat (L. aquilus)
- Short-tailed brush-furred rat (L. brevicaudus)
- Thomas's Ethiopian brush-furred rat (L. brunneus)
- Mount Chercher brush-furred rat (L. chercherensis)
- Ethiopian forest brush-furred rat (L. chrysopus)
- Dieterlen's brush-furred mouse (L. dieterleni)
- Dudu's brush-furred rat (L. dudui)
- Eisentraut's brush-furred rat (L. eisentrauti)
- Yellow-spotted brush-furred rat (L. flavopunctatus)
- Hutterer's brush-furred mouse (L. huttereri)
- Kilonzo's brush furred rat (L. kilonzoi)
- L. laticeps
- L. machangui
- Makundi's brush-furred rat (L. makundii)
- L. margarettae
- Black-clawed brush-furred rat (L. melanonyx)
- North Western Rift brush-furred rat (L. menageshae)
- Fire-bellied brush-furred rat (L. nudicaudus)
- Sheko Forest brush-furred rat (L. pseudosikapusi)
- Rahm's brush-furred rat (L. rahmi)
- L. rita
- Mount Cameroon brush-furred rat (L. roseveari)
- Sabuni's brush-furred rat (L. sabunii)
- Rusty-bellied brush-furred rat (L. sikapusi)
- L. simensis
- Stanley's brush-furred rat (L. stanleyi)
- Verhagen's brush-furred rat (L. verhageni)
- Zena's brush-furred rat (L. zena)
- Rudd's mouse (U. ruddi)