Acacia rat
| Acacia rat | ||||||||||||
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Acacia rat ( Thallomys paedulcus ) |
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| Thallomys paedulcus | ||||||||||||
| ( Sundevall , 1846) |
The Acacia Rat ( Thallomys paedulcus ) or African Acacia Rat is an especially in southeastern Africa occurring rodent species . It takes its name from the acacia tree on which it mainly lives.
description
The acacia rat reaches a total length of 31 cm and an average weight of 81 grams. Length and weight are very variable depending on the distribution area, females are somewhat smaller and lighter. The tail is the same length or slightly longer than the head-trunk length . The upper side is colored light gray to yellowish gray. The hair of the soft fur has yellowish brown tips. The acacia rat appears to be significantly browner than the similar species T. nigricauda . The chin, throat and the entire belly are pure white, the color gradually changing over the flanks to the color of the top. The backs of the hands and feet are densely short-haired and also white. The tail is brown and hairy relatively densely dark to black.
The acacia rat has a black "mask" that extends from the snout to around the eyes. However, it is less pronounced than in T. nigricauda . The large and wide ears are brown and stick out from the head.
distribution and habitat
The main distribution area of the acacia rat is in southeastern Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa , their occurrence extends from southern Ethiopia and from southern Somalia in the north through East Africa , the southern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Angola and over most of Zambia . From Zambia it occurs south to northeast South Africa and Swaziland . Acacia rats can be found in forests, tree-lined savannahs, and acacia scrubland.
Way of life
Acacia rats are shy, nocturnal, arboreal (tree-dwelling) animals. They live in small communities, mostly in pairs with the last offspring and other young animals. Up to eight animals inhabit a nest built in forks in the crowns of acacia trees or tree hollows.
food
Acacia rats are predominantly herbivores . Fresh leaves, the tips of branches, the seeds and fruits of various acacia species make up a large part of their diet. They also eat young leaves from shepherds' trees ( Boscia albitrunca ) and Ziziphus mucronata . Occasionally they also ingest insects or carnal food. Some populations that live far from watering holes get by without drinking water.
Reproduction
Acacia rats give birth to two to five young per litter in summer.
Taxonomy
Meester et al. (1964) accepted Thallomys paedulcus as the only species of the genus Thallomys with four subspecies ( T. p. Paedulcus , T. p. Nigricauda , T. p. Shortridgei and T. p. Damarensis ). Gordon (1987) verified the chromosomal recognition of the two species Thallomys paedulcus and Thallomys nigricauda , which in his opinion are parapatric . Taylor et al. (1995) supported the existence of two species, but did not see the distribution as clearly delimited, but rather broadly sympatric overlapping. The two species are diploid, the number of chromosomes is 2n = 43-46 for Thallomys paedulcus and 2n = 47-50 for Thallomys nigricauda . It is possible that Thallomys paedulcus presents a complex of several similar species; further investigations are necessary to clarify their taxonomic status.
Individual evidence
- ^ Murray Wrobel: Elsevier's Dictionary of Mammals. Elsevier Science & Technology, Amsterdam et al. 2006, ISBN 0-444-51877-0 , p. 530.
- ^ A b c John D. Skinner, Christian T. Chimimba: The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region. 3. Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge et al. 2005, ISBN 0-521-84418-5 , p. 154.
- ^ A b c d e G. De Graaff: Notes on the Southern African black-tailed tree rat thallomys paedulcus (Sundevall, 1846) and its occurrence in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. In: Koedoe. African Protected Area Conservation and Science. Vol. 21, No. 1, 1978, ISSN 0075-6458 , pp. 181-190, doi : 10.4102 / koedoe.v21i1.972 .
- ↑ a b c d e Peter Apps (Ed.): Smither's Mammals of Southern Africa. A field guide. Struik, Cape Town 2000, ISBN 1-86872-550-2 , p. 70.
- ↑ a b Thallomys paedulcus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012.2. Submitted by: PJ Taylor, L. Boitani, 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
Web links
- C. Ford: Thallomys paedulcus 2011, online at Animal Diversity Web.