Lophuromys simensis
| Lophuromys simensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Lophuromys |
| Species: | L. simensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lophuromys simensis Osgood, 1936
| |
Lophuromys simensis, commonly known as the short-tailed brush-furred rat[1] or Simien brush-furred rat,[2][3] is a species of brush-furred mouse.[1][4] It was described by Osgood in 1936 under the name Lophuromys flavopunctus simensis.[5] It has been considered a likely synonym of Lophuromys brunneus (Thomas, 1906).[6]
L. simensis is endemic to Ethiopia, where it has been observed in the forests and grasslands,[1] ranging in elevation from 1,800m to over 3,000m.[2] It has been found in the Simien Mountains National Park,[1][7] and gains its name from the Simien Mountains where it was first observed.[5]
Osgood described L. simensis as being similar in color to L. flavopunctatus and L. zaphiri.[5]
The species primarily consumes invertebrates, though it has a varied diet that changes depending on the season. In the dry season, they eat more leaves, stems, and seeds, whereas they eat more invertebrates in the wet season.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e Verheyen, Erik; Dando, Thomas; Kennerley, Rosalind; Lavrenchenko, Leonid (21 March 2017). "Lophuromys simensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Archived from the original on 11 May 2025.
- ^ a b Lövy, Matěj; Šumbera, Radim; Konopová, Barbora; Svačinová, Lucie; Bryja, Josef; Meheretu, Yonas; Mikula, Ondřej (30 July 2024). "Ecomorphological characteristics of Afroalpine rodent communities". Journal of Vertebrate Biology. 73 (24027). doi:10.25225/jvb.24027. ISSN 2694-7684.
- ^ Kostin, Danila S.; Martynov, Aleksey A.; Komarova, Valeria A.; Alexandrov, Dmitriy Yu.; Yihune, Mesele; Kasso, Mohammed; Bryja, Josef; Lavrenchenko, Leonid A. (19 June 2020). "Rodents of Choke Mountain and surrounding areas (Ethiopia): the Blue Nile gorge as a strong biogeographic barrier". Journal of Vertebrate Biology. 69 (2): 1. doi:10.25225/jvb.20016. ISSN 2694-7684.
- ^ "Lophuromys simensis Osgood, 1936". GBIF. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ a b c Osgood, Wilfred Hudson (1936). New and imperfectly known small mammals from Africa. Vol. 20. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. pp. 238–239.
- ^ Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.
- ^ Kassa, Aschalew A.; Katkweba, Abdul; Makundi, Rhodes; Massawe, Apie; Yonas, Meheretu (3 September 2024). "Small mammal abundance and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia". Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution. 70 (3): 109–116. Bibcode:2024IsJEE..70..109K. doi:10.1163/22244662-bja10071. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ Wale, Mengistu; Bekele, Afework; Yihune, Mesele (15 April 2024). "Composition and seasonality of rodent diet in Chimit Kola, Blue Nile Gorge, Ethiopia". Heliyon. 10 (7) e28416. Bibcode:2024Heliy..1028416W. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28416. ISSN 2405-8440. PMC 10999918. PMID 38590873.
Further reading
- Lavrenchenko, Leonid A.; Verheyen, Walter N.; Verheyen, Erik; Huselmans, Jan; Leirs, Herwig (2007). "Morphometric and genetic study of Ethiopian Lophuromys flavopunctatus THOMAS, 1888 species complex with description of three new 70-chromosomal species (Muridae, Rodentia)". Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique. 77: 77–117.