Congo wood mouse

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Congo wood mouse
Systematics
Subordination : Mouse relatives (Myomorpha)
Superfamily : Mice-like (Muroidea)
Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae)
Subfamily : Deomyinae
Genre : Deomys
Type : Congo wood mouse
Scientific name
Deomys ferrugineus
Thomas , 1888

The Congo wood mouse or insectivorous wood mouse ( Deomys ferrugineus ) is a species of tree mice that is native to the rainforests of Central Africa. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with the European wood mouse ; Because of its different characteristics, it is placed in its own subfamily Deomyinae together with some other African mice , but is sometimes also assigned to the tree mice.

The head body length of the Congo wood mouse is 12 to 14 cm, with a tail 15 to 21 cm. The fur is reddish brown on top and black in the middle of the back; the underside is white. The very long, thin tail and the large, round ears are striking.

The Congo wood mouse has a purely ground-dwelling way of life. Under the tree roots she builds a nest out of leaves and other plant parts. In the twilight she goes foraging on the forest floor. 90% of the food consists of insects, vegetable food is only taken as complementary food. The small number of young in a litter is also unusual; it is one to three.

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 .

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