Micaelamys

Micaelamys
Micaelamys namaquensis
Systematics
Superfamily : Mice-like (Muroidea) Family : Long-tailed mice (Muridae) Subfamily : Old World Mice (Murinae) Tribe : Arvicanthini Aethomys group Genre : Micaelamys
Scientific name
Micaelamys
Ellerman , 1941

Micaelamys is a genus of rodents from the group of old world mice (Murinae). The genus includes two types. Sometimes it is also listed as a sub-genus of Aethomys .

Outwardly they are rat-like animals with a total length of 21 to 29 centimeters. Their fur is gray-brown to red-brown on the back, the underside is usually light gray. The paws are white on top, the tail is sparsely covered with hair.

These animals live in southern Africa , their range extends from Angola and Zambia to South Africa . Their habitat are bush lands and also dry, rocky areas. They are nocturnal and hide during the day in crevices or earthworks that they create under thickets of plants. They live in groups, these are family groups with a male, a female and the common offspring.

There are two types:

• Micaelamys granti lives in the Karoo region in South Africa.
• Micaelamys namaquensis is distributed from Angola and Zambia to South Africa.

Both species are listed as "not endangered" by the IUCN . M. namaquensis is a culture follower and sometimes stays in houses.

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 .

Web links

Commons : Micaelamys  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Micaelanys on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved October 6, 2009.