Mother Ellen's Wood Mouse

biology_ecology

Ecology. Type specimen and 3 paratypes all caught in standard mammal snap traps while the fifth was caught in a Sherman live trap. Type specimen captured in regenerating secondary forest on the edge of a seasonally flooded forest. One specimen captured in a trap line that was never flooded during heavy rain events while three came from a trap line that was prone to flooding. Reproduction. All animals captured (n = 5) were adult. Type is adult female with swollen teats 2 + 4. A second female (FMNH 219612), despite having well-worn molars (beyond stage VII), had small teats that are difficult to decipher. Three adult males all with scrotal testes; testes of FMNH 219689 measured 10 × 5 in the field.

Four new species of the Hylomyscus anselli group (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania

description

Description. Size very small (mean HB = 83, mean mass = 13.9). Tail 46 % longer than HB, unicolor with ca. 18 annulations per cm. Ears of normal size, 18 % of HB; ear color dark grey. Belly hairs 5 mm, basal 3 mm slate grey, distal 2 mm white. Dorsal hairs 7 mm, basal 5 mm slate grey, apical 2 mm orange, more bright orange towards flanks. Vibrissae up to 33 mm in length, mostly black but with 2 – 3 white hairs; upper lip with white fur patch behind vibrissae. Teats 2 + 4. The hind foot possesses the standard murine complement of 6 pads (see Ibe et al. 2014: fig. 2, II for reference); there is a single accessory pad on the 1 st and 4 th interdigital pads; the first is clear and well-defined while the 4 th is larger and more integrated (Fig. 9 a). The number of fleshy palatal ridges are not visible on any of the prepared skulls. Skull small (mean ONL = 22.8, mean CRM = 3.2). Rostrum short, LN / ONL = 33.7 %. Upper incisors orthodont. Incisive foramina fall well short of upper tooth row. T 3 on M 2 is tiny. Braincase elongated. Hamular process of the squamosal long and thin, providing for a large subsquamosal fenestra which is about 35 % the size of the post glenoid foramen (see Carle

Four new species of the Hylomyscus anselli group (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania

description

urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: DAE 95 BEF-D 424 - 42 C 2 - 8415 - A 1805 F 494 ADC

Four new species of the Hylomyscus anselli group (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Easily differentiated within the Hylomyscus anselli group by its small size (second smallest, but still much larger than preceding species): HB 83 (mean), Wt 13.9 (mean), ONL 22.8 (mean), CLM 3.2 (mean). All are significantly smaller than all other members of the H. anselli group (Tables 4 – 5), excepting the previously described species. Comparisons. Upper incisors orthodont, contrasting with the proodont condition in Hylomyscus pygmaeus. Crown length of upper molars 3.0 – 3.25 mm, much larger than Hylomyscus pygmaeus (under 2.6 mm). External and cranio-dental measurements smaller than all other members of the H. anselli group (excepting Hylomyscus pygmaeus).

Four new species of the Hylomyscus anselli group (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania