Fallow mouse

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Fallow mouse
Systematics
Superfamily : Mice-like (Muroidea)
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae)
Tribe : Murini
Genre : Mice ( Mus )
Type : Fallow mouse
Scientific name
Mus cervicolor
Hodgson , 1845

The fallow vole ( Mus cervicolor ) is a species of mice (genus Mus ) that is found mainly in South and Southeast Asia from northern India and Nepal to Myanmar , Laos , Cambodia and northern Vietnam .

features

The fallow mouse reaches a head-trunk length of 6.1 to 8.0 centimeters, in addition there is a tail that is about as long and often a little shorter (6.7 to 8.8 centimeters). The weight is 8 to 17.5 grams. The rear foot length is 14 to 19 millimeters, the ear length 13 to 15 millimeters. The back fur is orange-gray to brownish gray and very soft, the belly side is cream-white with a gray-white base of the hair. The tail is clearly two-colored, dark brown on top and white on the underside, the transition is sharp. It is similar to the rice field mouse ( Mus caroli ), but is somewhat smaller and the tail is somewhat shorter and less sharply defined in terms of color.

The skull has a total length of 20.5 to 24.5 millimeters.

distribution

The fallow vole is found in South and Southeast Asia from northern India , Pakistan and Nepal to Myanmar , Laos , Cambodia , Thailand and northern Vietnam . In the People's Republic of China it is only known from two localities, Anning and Ruili , in the province of Yunnan . In addition, it was probably introduced inadvertently to the islands of Sumatra and Java . The altitude distribution extends up to 2000 meters.

Way of life

The fallow vole lives in all available habitats with the exception of desert areas, in China mainly in secondary growth areas, grass bushes and around and in rice fields and other agricultural areas. In Southeast Asia it lives in open areas as well as in deciduous forests, grasslands and also in rice fields. It is very common in high grass areas near rivers. It is nocturnal, lives on the ground and digs burrows in the ground.

The species often occurs sympatric with the rice field mouse .

Systematics

The fallow mouse is classified as an independent species within the genus of mice ( Mus ), which consists of around 40 species. The first scientific description comes from Brian Houghton Hodgson from 1845, who described the species on the basis of individuals from Nepal. At times Mus phillipsi was considered a subspecies.

According to the analysis of morphological and molecular biological characteristics, the species is closely related to the rice field mouse and the Cook mouse ( Mus cookii ). Two subspecies have been identified in Thailand, the nominate form T. c. cervicolor in grasslands and rice fields and the slightly larger T. c. popaeus in forest areas near the city of Tak in the north-west of the country, but later analyzes could no longer differentiate between these two forms. In Thailand, the species has been documented in caves since the middle Pleistocene on the basis of tooth finds ( molars ).

Status, threat and protection

The fallow vole is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified by the very large distribution area and the frequent occurrence of the species, partly also in protected areas. There are no potential threats to the existence of this species.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b c d e Andrew T. Smith, Darrin Lunde: Fawn-Colored Mouse. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 263.
  2. ↑ a b c d e Mus cervicolor in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: K. Aplin, D. Lunde, A. Frost, S. Molur, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  3. ↑ a b c Mus cervicolor ( Memento of the original from July 5, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: 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 .  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.vertebrates.si.edu
  4. ↑ Mus phillipsi in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: S. Molur, PO Nameer, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2015.

literature

  • Andrew T. Smith, Darrin Lunde: Fawn-Colored Mouse. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 263.

Web links