Short-tailed hamster rats
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| Peters , 1846 |
Short-tailed hamster rats ( Saccostomus ) are a genus of rodents in the hamster rat subfamily with two species that are found in Africa.
There are two types:
- Saccostomus campestris , from Angola and Tanzania to South Africa , with a white underside.
- Saccostomus mearnsi , Kenya and bordering areas of Ethiopia , Somalia and Tanzania, with a gray underside.
features
With a head-to-trunk length of 9.5 to 19 cm and a weight of 40 to 85 g, the species are only slightly larger than the small hamster rat and significantly smaller than the giant hamster rat . The short tail, which is only 3 to 8 cm long, is striking. The long and dense fur has a gray to gray-brown color on top. The underside is light gray or white depending on the species. The short tail is covered with short hair.
Short-tailed hamster rats have cheek pouches , short ears and small eyes. There are no grooves on the incisors.
Way of life
The species can be found in savannahs , other grasslands, bushes, open forests and in agricultural areas. They are nocturnal and rest during the day in simple burrows in the ground that are dug themselves or are taken over by other animals. In regions with colder seasons, food stores are accumulated in front of them. Short-tailed hamster rats will eat seeds, nuts, fruits, berries and the occasional insects.
There are several litters per year. 2 to 10 young animals are born per litter, usually 5 or more. Females are pregnant for about 21 days. The young animals weigh around 2.5 g at birth, are suckled for 2 to 4 weeks and are sexually mature after 6 to 10 weeks. In captivity, these rodents can live to be 2 years and 9 months old.
status
Both species are listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) .
swell
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Volume 2. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, pp. 1494-1495, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 . African Pouched Rats
- Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World . A taxonomic and geographic Reference . 3. Edition. 2 volumes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 (English, Saccostomus ).
- Saccostomus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species2015.2. Retrieved July 28, 2015.