Cape spiny mouse

Cape spiny mouse
	Cape spiny mouse ( Acomys subspinosus )
Systematics
Subordination :	Mouse relatives (Myomorpha)
Superfamily :	Mice-like (Muroidea)
Family :	Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily :	Deomyinae
Genre :	Spiny Mice ( Acomys )
Type :	Cape spiny mouse
Scientific name
	Acomys subspinosus
	( Waterhouse , 1838)

The Cape spiny mouse ( Acomys subspinosus ) is a rodent belonging to the mouse family that is found in southwestern South Africa in the Western Cape Province and neighboring areas. The species is endemic to the South African fynbos , so it only occurs in this area.

features

Cape spiny mice reach a head-trunk length of about 88 mm, the tail corresponds in length to that of the head and body. The weight is around 20 g, females are slightly heavier than males. The Cape spiny mouse has the for spiny mice typical, especially rough on their abdomen to prickly fur. The upper side of the body is colored gray-brown, whereby the fur color on the flanks can turn into a rust-brown. The underside of the body is colored light gray to white. The hair bristles on the tail are also darker on the top than on the underside.

Way of life

Cape spiny mice are nocturnal inhabitants of rocky slopes. They feed mainly on nuts . However, arthropods and snails are also consumed. The mice are apparently important pollinators for the sugar bush Protea humiflora . The spread of pollen from the bulbous plant Massonia depressa by Cape spiny mice has also been proven. The animals' reproductive season runs synchronously with the flowering time of the plants whose nectar they drink.

Cape spiny mice give birth to two to five young per litter.

Danger

The species is classified by the IUCN as least concern , i.e. not endangered. The stocks are considered stable.

literature

Gus Mills, Lex Hes: Mammals of Southern Africa. An illustrated encyclopedia. Könmann, Cologne 1999, ISBN 3-8290-3610-8 .

Individual evidence

↑ PA Fleming and SW Nicolson: How important is the relationship between Protea humiflora (Proteaceae) and its non-flying mammal pollinators? Oecologia 132, 2002, pp. 361-368

Web links

Commons : Acomys subspinosus - collection of images, videos and audio files

Entry for Acomys subspinosus on the IUCN website (accessed January 10, 2015)
Fleming, P., Nicolson, S. (2002) How important is the relationship between Protea humiflora (Proteaceae) and its non-flying mammal pollinators?

[1] PA Fleming and SW Nicolson: How important is the relationship between Protea humiflora (Proteaceae) and its non-flying mammal pollinators? Oecologia 132, 2002, pp. 361-368