African smoking mouse
African smoking mouse | ||||||||||||
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
Heimyscus | ||||||||||||
Misonne , 1969 | ||||||||||||
Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
Heimyscus fumosus | ||||||||||||
( Brosset , Dubost & Heim de Balsac , 1965) |
The African smoky mouse ( Heimyscus fumosus ) is a rodent from the group of old world mice (Murinae).
African smoke mice are very small old world mice. They reach a head body length of around 7 centimeters, the tail measures 10 to 12 centimeters and their weight is 13 to 15 grams. Their fur is colored a dark gray-brown on the upper side, the underside is white. Their hind legs are relatively long and the tail short compared to the closely related African wood mice .
These animals live in central Africa , their range extends from southern Cameroon and Gabon through the Central African Republic to the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . Their habitat are rainforests up to 620 meters above sea level. Little is known about their way of life.
African smoke mice are seldom sighted, which does not have to say anything about their degree of endangerment. The IUCN lists them as “not at risk” ( least concern ).
The species is systematically part of the Stenocephalemys group .
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
Web links
- Heimyscus fumosus onthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Retrieved May 28, 2009.