Broad-headed mice
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| Osgood , 1910 |
The wide head mice ( Zelotomys ) are a rodent species from the group of murinae (Murinae). The genus includes two types.
Broad-headed mice reach a head body length of 10 to 14 centimeters, a tail length of 8 to 12 centimeters and a weight of 40 to 85 grams. Their fur is reddish brown to dark gray on the upper side, the flanks are somewhat lighter, the underside is whitish to light gray. The hands and feet are also whitish-gray, the short, bristle-like hair on the tail also have this color. The name-giving feature is the slightly widened skull.
These rodents are native to central and southern Africa , and their range extends from the Central African Republic and Kenya to South Africa . Their habitat are moist, grassy areas. They are nocturnal and live on the ground, their food should consist of seeds and insects.
The two types are:
- Zelotomys hildegardeae , which is distributed from Central Africa to Zambia, and
- Zelotomys woosnami , which occurs from Angola to South Africa.
Neither species is endangered according to the IUCN .
They are systematically part of the Colomys genus 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 .
