Montane African climbing mouse

Technopedia Center

Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
S1 Informatics S1 Information Systems S1 Information Technology S1 Computer Engineering S1 Electrical Engineering S1 Civil Engineering

faculty of Economics and Business
S1 Management S1 Accountancy

Faculty of Letters and Educational Sciences
S1 English literature S1 English language education S1 Mathematics education S1 Sports Education

Montane African climbing mouse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dendromus insignis
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)^[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Nesomyidae
Genus:	Dendromus
Species:	D. insignis
Binomial name
*Dendromus insignis* (Thomas, 1903)

The montane African climbing mouse or remarkable climbing mouse (Dendromus insignis) is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae.^[1] It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.^[2]

Description

[edit]

The montane African climbing mice have short, soft brown to reddish-brown pelage^[3] with a dark stripe down the middle of their backs and dark gray or grayish underparts.^[2] They have tails that can equal up to 133% of their head and body length, which taper and are covered in scales and short hair.^[4]

Montane African climbing mice have a typical mymorphous zygomatic arch with a narrow infraorbital foramen, due to the prominence of the lower anterior-positioned masseter muscles—resulting in only three molars in a row and grooved upper incisors.^[4]

The hind limbs of the montane African climbing mouse are elongated, with hind feet highly specialized for climbing. D. insignis have a reduced inner proximal foot pad, and a reduced first digit with a nail.^[4]

The montane African climbing mouse is one of the largest species of the genus Dendromus, with head and body length ranges from 76 mm to 90 mm and weigh from 7-20 g,^[5] up to 20% larger than other Dendromus species. Additionally, their head is relatively large compared to other genera of rodents, making up about 27% of their head and body length^[4] and resulting in longer molar rows.^[2]

Ecology

[edit]

Behavior and Diet

[edit]

The montane African climbing mouse avoids predation by being nocturnal, using its well-adapted hind feet to climb twigs and dense grasses and its long hindlimbs to produce long jumps of up to 45 cm.^[4] Its climbing agility is used to contribute to its insectivorous and granivorous diet, and allows for nests to be above ground.^[4]

Range and Habitat

[edit]

Its home range of extends through mountainous areas but they generally dwell in heath and alpine zones.^[6] They have been documented across a wide range of high altitude locales, including elevations as high as 4240 m.^[5] Below 2000 m, grassland meets the montane forest, and D. insignis is less commonly found, as easy-to-climb dense vegetation is reduced.^[7]

References

[edit]

^ ^a ^b Cassola, F. (2016). "Dendromus insignis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T6440A22234456. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T6440A22234456.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Reeder, Don (2005). Mammal Species of the World : A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (12 ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press. p. 937.
^ Dieterlen, Fritz (2005). "Climbing mice of the genus Dendromus (Nesomyidae, Dendromurinae) in Sudan and Ethiopia, with the description of a new species". Bonner Zoologische Beiträge. 56: 185–200.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Miljutin, Andrei (2006). "African Climbing Mice (, Muroidea) and Palaearctic Birch Mice (, Dipodoidea): An Example of Parallel Evolution Among Rodents". Acta Zoologica Lituanica. 16 (2): 84–92. doi:10.1080/13921657.2006.10512714.
^ ^a ^b Stanley, William T.; Rogers, Mary Anne; Kihaule, Philip M.; Munissi, Maiko J. (2014). "Elevational Distribution and Ecology of Small Mammals on Africa's Highest Mountain". PLOS ONE. 9 (11): e109904. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109904. PMC 4220923. PMID 25372387.
^ Grimshaw, J.M.; Cordeiro, N.J.; Foley, C.A.H. (1995). "The Mammals of Kilimanjaro". Journal of East African Natural History. 84 (2): 126. doi:10.2982/0012-8317(1995)84[105:tmok]2.0.co;2.
^ Clausnitzer, V.; Kityo, R. (2012). "Altitudinal distribution of rodents (Muridae and Gliridae) on Mt Elgon, Uganda". Tropical Zoology. 14 (1): 95–118. doi:10.1080/03946975.2001.10531145. S2CID 84262284.

Extant species of family Nesomyidae

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Myomorpha
Superfamily: Muroidea

Petromyscinae

Petromyscus (Rock mice)	Barbour's rock mouse (Petromyscus barbouri) Pygmy rock mouse (Petromyscus collinus) Brukkaros pygmy rock mouse (Petromyscus monticularis) Shortridge's rock mouse (Petromyscus shortridgei)

Delanymyinae

Delanymys	Delany's mouse (Delanymys brooksi)

Dendromurinae

Dendromus (African climbing mice)	Montane African climbing mouse (Dendromus insignis) Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse (Dendromus kahuziensis) Lachaise's climbing mouse (Dendromus lachaisei) Monard's African climbing mouse (Dendromus leucostomus) Lovat's climbing mouse (Dendromus lovati) Gray climbing mouse (Dendromus melanotis) Brant's climbing mouse (Dendromus mesomelas) Banana climbing mouse (Dendromus messorius) Chestnut climbing mouse (Dendromus mystacalis) Kivu climbing mouse (Dendromus nyasae) Nyika climbing mouse (Dendromus nyikae) Cameroon climbing mouse (Dendromus oreas) Rupp's African climbing mouse (Dendromus ruppi) Vernay's climbing mouse (Dendromus vernayi)
Dendroprionomys	Velvet climbing mouse (Dendroprionomys rousseloti)
Malacothrix	Gerbil mouse (Malacothrix typica)
Megadendromus	Nikolaus's mouse (Megadendromus nikolausi)
Prionomys	Dollman's tree mouse (Prionomys batesi)
Steatomys	Bocage's African fat mouse (Steatomys bocagei) Northwestern fat mouse (Steatomys caurinus) Dainty fat mouse (Steatomys cuppedius) Jackson's fat mouse (Steatomys jacksoni) Krebs's fat mouse (Steatomys krebsii) Pousargues's African fat mouse (Steatomys opimus) Tiny fat mouse (Steatomys parvus) Fat mouse (Steatomys pratensis)

Mystromyinae

Mystromys	White-tailed rat (Mystromys albicaudatus)

Cricetomyinae
(Pouched rats)

Beamys	Lesser hamster-rat (Beamys hindei) Greater hamster-rat (Beamys major)
Cricetomys	Southern giant pouched rat (Cricetomys ansorgei) Emin's pouched rat (Cricetomys emini) Gambian pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) Kivu giant pouched rat (Cricetomys kivuensis)
Saccostomus	South African pouched mouse (Saccostomus campestris) Mearns's pouched mouse (Saccostomus mearnsi)

Nesomyinae
(Malagasy rats
and mice)

Brachytarsomys	White-tailed antsangy (Brachytarsomys albicauda) Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis Hairy-tailed Antsangy (Brachytarsomys villosa)
Brachyuromys	Betsileo short-tailed rat (Brachyuromys betsileoensis) Gregarious short-tailed rat (Brachyuromys ramirohitra)
Eliurus	Tsingy tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus antsingy) Ankarana Special Reserve tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus carletoni) Daniel's tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus danieli) Ellerman's tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus ellermani) Grandidier's tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus grandidieri) Major's tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus majori) Lesser tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus minor) Dormouse tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus myoxinus) White-tipped tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus penicillatus) Petter's tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus petteri) Tanala tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus tanala) Webb's tufted-tailed rat (Eliurus webbi)
Gymnuromys	Voalavoanala (Gymnuromys roberti)
Hypogeomys	Malagasy giant rat (Hypogeomys antimena) Hypogeomys australis
Macrotarsomys	Bastard big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi) Greater big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys ingens) Petter's big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys petteri)
Monticolomys	Koopman's montane voalavo (Monticolomys koopmani)
Nesomys	White-bellied nesomys (Nesomys audeberti) Western nesomys (Nesomys lambertoni) Nesomys narindaensis Island mouse (Nesomys rufus)
Voalavo	Eastern voalavo (Voalavo antsahabensis) Northern voalavo (Voalavo gymnocaudus)

Category

Taxon identifiers
Dendromus insignis	Wikidata: Q305578 Wikispecies: Dendromus insignis ADW: Dendromus_insignis CoL: 34QMZ EoL: 1179480 GBIF: 5219772 iNaturalist: 44968 IRMNG: 10236928 ITIS: 632702 IUCN: 6440 MDD: 1003712 MSW: 13000082 NCBI: 1392542 Observation.org: 83084 Open Tree of Life: 3608542

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Montane_African_climbing_mouse&oldid=1139117689"

Categories:

Hidden categories: