jameson 's mamba ( dendroaspis jamesoni ) is a species of quick , highly arboreal and highly venomous snake of the family elapidae .

the species is endemic to africa .

jameson ' s mamba

common name ( s ) : traill’s green mamba , east african jameson’s mamba , jameson’s blacktail mamba .
: traill ' s green mamba , east african jameson ' s mamba , jameson ' s blacktail mamba .
common names traill ' s green mamba , western green mamba , jameson ' s green mamba , jameson ' s mamba ( d . j . jamesoni ) , east african jameson ' s mamba ( d . j . kaimosae )
there are four species of mamba : the eastern green mamba , western green mamba , jameson’s mamba and black mamba and are found across africa .
mattias klum - i photographed this jameson ' s mamba killing . . . | facebook
mechanism of action of jameson ' s mamba venom on the superior cervical ganglion of cat .
jameson ' s mamba are mostly occurs in kenya , nigeria , congo , uganda , etc .
yep , the atheris is cool but i really like that jameson ' s mamba . all are nice additions .
mechanism of action of jameson ' s mamba venom on the superior cervical ganglion of cat . - pubmed - ncbi
jameson ' s mamba was first described in 1843 by thomas traill , a scottish physician , zoologist and scholar of medical jurisprudence . in 1936 , arthur loveridge described two subspecies , the nominotypical
d . jamesoni jamesoni
and
d . jamesoni kaimosae
; the latter is commonly referred to as eastern jameson ' s mamba or the black - tailed jameson ' s mamba .
in the event of an actual or probable bite from a jameson ' s mamba , execute the following first aid measures without delay .
: jameson ' s mamba ( dendroaspis jamesoni ) is distributed from the western coast to the central parts of equatorial africa . the subspecies
jameson ' s mamba will chase prey , similar to other mamba species . when prey is caught , jameson ' s mamba will strike until the prey dies . since this species is arboreal , birds make up a large portion of their diet . small mammals such as mice , rats , and bats and small lizards are also preyed upon .
yeah i ' m not a big elapid fan either but those are some choice specimens . i love the scalation of the jameson ' s mamba .
smell is detected by the use of mamba ' s tongue , which picks up vibrations . vibrations can also be picked up from the ground through the mamba ' s body .
jameson’s mamba has short fangs at the the front of the skull , and requires the snake to hold down for a short period of time , though this mamba strike repeatedly to get the same effect .
local symptoms : local tissue damage appears to be relatively infrequent and of minor severity in most cases of jameson ' s mamba envenomation . edema is typically minimal .
…of east and south africa , jameson’s mamba ( d . jamesoni ) of central africa , and the west african green mamba ( d . viridis ) are all more timid than the black mamba and have not been reported to attack humans . like the black mamba , they will flatten their necks into a narrow hood as…
found in primary and secondary rainforests , woodland , forest - savanna and deforested areas at elevations up to high . jameson ' s mamba is an adaptable species , found in areas where there has been extensive deforestation and human development . they are often found around buildings , town parks , farmlands and plantations . jameson ' s mamba is a highly arboreal snake , more so than its close relatives the eastern green mamba and western green mamba , and significantly more so than the black mamba .
the double mamba ( rarely known as the twin mamba ) was a development of the armstrong siddeley mamba with two mambas driving contra - rotating propellers through a combining gearbox .
the three green mamba species are smaller ( 1 . 5–2 metres , maximum 2 . 7 metres ) and are usually found in trees . the east african green mamba ( d . angusticeps ) of east and south africa , jameson’s mamba ( d . jamesoni ) of central africa , and the west african green mamba ( d . viridis ) are all…
carrión , pere martínez 2002 . dendroaspis jamesoni jameson ' s mamba ( traill , 1843 ) . reptilia ( gb ) ( 21 ) : 39 - 42 . - get paper here
the bite of jameson ' s mamba with envenomation can be rapidly fatal ( as early as 30 to 120 minutes ) . please read the attached medical management protocol and respond appropriately .
four species of mamba are currently recognized by the scientific community . they include : the black mamba , the east african green mamba , the west african green mamba , and the jameson ' s mamba . all species of mambas live in africa . the black mamba is widely recognized as the most dangerous of all african snake species to encounter in the wild . the black mamba is capable of reaching lengths of over 9 feet and will travel both on the ground as well as in the trees . all species of mambas are egg - layers
vaz pinto , pedro and william r . branch . 2015 . geographic distribution . dendroaspis jamesoni thrail , 1843 , jameson ' s mamba . african herp news ( 62 ) : 45 - 47
the mac mamba , mamba range is an australian two - seat light aircraft designed and built by the melbourne aircraft corporation .
the
black mamba
reference in its title is an allusion to the black mamba snake . according to the author :
blaylock , r . s . : ( to the editor ) black mamba envenomation . s . afr . med . j . , 68 : 293 , 1985 .
a deadly green mamba , one of the world’s most venomous snakes , has slithered into britain on a cargo ship .
there are four species of mambas : the black mamba ( dendroaspis polylepis ) , eastern green mamba ( dendroaspis angusticeps ) , western green mamba ( dendroaspis viridis ) , and jameson ' s mamba ( dendroaspis jamesoni ) . like chance mentioned , the jameson ' s mamba has two valid subspecies , ( d . j . jamesoni , and d . j . kaimosea ) . the nominate subspecies has a yellow tail with black - edged scales , while d . j . kaimosea , ( also known as the black - tail mamba ) , has a black tail as the name suggests . the two subspecies also have several differences in scalation . hope this helps , bryan
dendroaspis viridis
was first described by the american herpetologist and physician edward hallowell in 1844 . in addition to being called the western green mamba , this species is also commonly known as the west african green mamba or hallowell ' s green mamba .
make sure that at least 10 vials of south african institute for medical research ( s . a . i . m . r ) polyvalent antivenom are present with the patient . this anti - antivenom contains the appropriate fractions necessary to neutralize jameson ' s mamba venom .
mambas have scales on their bodies . the green in the mamba ' s body is used to help hide it from its enemies while resting in the trees . the mamba ' s jaw is adapted for feeding , with the snake ' s skin being elastic and it being able to dislocate . that is why the mamba can swallow prey up to four times the size of its head .
clinical differences between the common ( dendroaspis jamesoni jamesoni ) and the east african ( dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae ) jameson ' s mambas have not been described or recorded .
jameson’s mamba is a long , slender snake with a tapering tail that can make up to 25 % percent of its total length . they grow from 1 . 5 - 2 . 2 meters ( or 4 . 9 - 7 . 2 feet ) . their backs are a dull green , which pales to a lighter green , yellow , or even cream belly . like all mambas , jameson’s mamba , when threatened , can flatten its neck , much like a cobra .
nephrotoxicity : acute renal failure has been reported in a few cases of black mamba bites in humans as well as in animal models . it has not yet been reported in jameson ' s mamba envenomations . oliguria or anuria with possible changes in urinary composition will herald the development of renal shutdown . dialysis is advised .
l . luiselli and others ,
large elapids and arboreality : the ecology of jameson ' s green mamba ( dendroaspis jamesoni ) in an afrotropical forested region
, contrib zoo , 69 ( 3 ) , 2000 , pp . 147 - 155
mamba is a steel hypercoaster designed by steve okamoto and manufactured by d . h . morgan manufacturing . mamba is located at worlds of fun in kansas city , missouri . mamba opened in 1998 at a cost of 10 million usd .
a black mamba (
dendroaspis polylepis
) , is a venomous snake .
jameson’s mamba will chase its prey , and once it catches it , it will strike repeatedly until the prey is dead , and then consume it . it’s prey of choice is usually birds ( since , y’know , they live in trees ) , but they will eat other animals such as mice , lizards , and bats .
it is not advisable to utilize subcutaneous or intra - dermal testing for sensitivity to equine products in that such testing may be unreliable , and may unneces - sarily delay antivenom therapy which must be used if any signs of jameson ' s mamba envenomation are present .
the mamba is a semi - automatic pistol developed in rhodesia and later produced in south africa , intended for military and police duty . it is named after the mamba .
the black mamba is much more terrestrial than the other three species of mamba , but it readily takes to the trees in search of prey and to bask or seek shelter .
some properties and the complete primary structures of two reduced and s - carboxymethylated polypeptides ( s5c1 and s5c10 ) from dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae ( jameson ' s mamba ) venom .
joubert f . j . , taljaard n . biochim . biophys . acta 579 : 228 - 233 ( 1979 ) [ pubmed ] [ europe pmc ] [ abstract ]
: jameson ' s mamba venom is dangerous and potentially lethal . the venom is principally neurotoxic because of the action of dendrotoxins and fasciculins . local effects include swelling and severe pain . possible systemic effects are headache , vomiting , abdominal pain , diarrhea , nausea , collapse or convulsions .
crisp , n . g . : ( to the editor ) black mamba envenomation . s . afr . med . j . , 68 : 293 , 1985 .
the genus dendroaspis contains all the species of mambas . there is the eastern green mamba (
western green mambas are more alert , more poisonous then eastern green mamba and very quick .
the mamba’s major predators are birds of prey such as the congo serpent eagle ( pictured ) . other predators are the honey badger , other snakes , and the mongoose .
snake venom toxins . the amino acid sequences of two toxins from dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae ( jameson ' s mamba ) venom .
strydom a . j . c . biochim . biophys . acta 328 : 491 - 509 ( 1973 ) [ pubmed ] [ europe pmc ] [ abstract ]
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the primary structure of a short neurotoxin homologue ( s4c8 ) from dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae ( jameson ' s mamba ) venom .
joubert f . j . , taljaard n . int . j . biochem . 12 : 567 - 574 ( 1980 ) [ pubmed ] [ europe pmc ] [ abstract ]
symtoms of envenomation : jameson’s mamba venom is dangerous and potentially lethal . the venom is principally neurotoxic because of the action of dendrotoxins and fasciculins . local effects include swelling and severe pain . possible systemic effects are headache , vomiting , abdominal pain , diarrhoea , nausea , collapse or convulsions . neurotoxic paralysis is common .
antivenom therapy is the mainstay of treatment for jameson ' s mamba envenomation . many of the symptoms are ameliorated or entirely eliminated by the antivenom alone . other symptoms will require additional therapeutic modalities . local symptoms may take several days to weeks to completely resolve ; their progression , however , may be controlled with antivenom therapy .
for a key to species abbreviations . comparisons between means were made using student ' s
in july 2012 , mamba changed its name to wamba in order to keep expanding into new markets with a unified name . in many countries the domain “ mamba ” was already taken by storck , a producer of chewy sweets , so “ mamba ” had to create a new brand for the international market .
: the jameson ' s mamba is a large species and adults reach a total length of 180 to 250 cm . the tail makes up approximately 25 % of the total lengh . these snakes have relatively long and narrow heads . the eyes are medium sized with a round pupil . dorsal scales are narrow , smooth and oblique .
general shape : the jameson’s mamba is a large species and adults reach a total length of 180 to 250 cm . the tail makes up approximately 25 % of the total lengh . these snakes have relatively long and narrow heads . the eyes are medium sized with a round pupil . dorsal scales are narrow , smooth and oblique .
a graduate of the university of santo tomas , secretary mamba is a physician by profession . he is currently the presidential legislative liaison officer , with cabinet rank and a member of the cabinet . he is a son of the late congressman francisco k . mamba and mrs . estela novena mamba . he is married to attorney mabel villarica - mamba , a member of the board of directors of the philippine charity sweepstakes office .
the three species of green mambas are arboreal , whereas the black mamba is largely terrestrial . all four species are active diurnal hunters , preying on birds , lizards , and small mammals . at nightfall some species , especially the terrestrial black mamba , shelter in a lair . a mamba may retain the same lair for years .
the specific name
angusticeps
is derived from the latin word
angustus
, which means
narrow
and
- ceps
is also latin and is derived from the word
cephalicus
which means
head
or
of or relating to the head
, calling attention to the long narrow head of this species . in addition to being called the eastern green mamba , this species is also commonly known as the common green mamba , east african green mamba , white - mouthed mamba , or just simply the green mamba .
is commonly known as the black mamba . you can learn more about this venomous snake as you read more !
inhabits the eastern parts of the range . the species occur in angola , burundi , cameroon , cabinda , central african republic , democratic republic of congo , equatorial guinea , gabon , ghana , kenya , nigeria , rwanda , sudan , togo and uganda . jameson ' s mambas are usually found from sea level to altitudes of 2200 metres above the sea . jameson ' s mambas inhabits rainforests , woodlands and thickets . according to local people these mambas are quite often found near towns , within city parks and farms .
? ? ? to ? ? ? meter above sea level ( a . s . l . )
scottish spca chief inspector john carle said : “the green mamba snake is one of the most deadly snakes in the world .
mamba bites may happen unnoticed , a swift contact is enough . bite victim may feel no pain , bite marks sometimes not even visible . if a mamba touched you with the head you should immediately get medical help ! venom can kill in minutes .
reproduction : jameson’s mambas are oviparous and the clutch consists of 6 - 17 eggs . males are known to combat , pressing each other onto the ground . combats may last for several hours . the actual mating takes place in trees with both male and female tails hanging down .
: jameson ' s mambas are oviparous and the clutch consists of 6 - 17 eggs . males are known to combat , pressing each other onto the ground . combats may last for several hours . the actual mating takes place in trees with both male and female tails hanging down .
classification is organized into tiers , with each descending category becoming more specific to the organism . this is the classification for the black mamba :
= 7 ) and nigeria ( mean = 86 . 7 % , s . d . = 8 . 03 ,
= 7 ) and nigeria ( mean = 79 . 2 % , s . d . = 9 . 71 ,
hematological symptoms may present as a disseminated intravascular coagulopathy , and are treated as are other dics . this , however , is rare with mamba envenomation .
spawls , s . , branch , b . 1995 . the dangerous snakes of africa . blandford , london , 192 pp .
jamesonâ€™s mamba is a swift , tree - dwelling predator that actively pursues small animal prey by day . it has been known to drop from a higher branch onto unsuspecting prey perched below , often falling to the ground with it . it kills its prey with venom before eating it .
goldberg , s . r . 2009 . dendroaspis jamesoni ( traill , 1843 ) reproduction . african herp news ( 50 ) : 27
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mambas are another group of snakes , they are more deadly , more venemous and swift - moving snakes then any other species . mambas are of four different types they are black mambas , eastern green mambas , western green mambas and the jameson ' s mambas . mambas are thin , terrestrial and light weighted snakes . mambas are mostly in green , brown and black in colour . mambas are mostly available in the continent of africa . mambas have higly toxic poison which can kill any large prey in few seconds , a mamba ' s bite can be very dangerous for human beings as it ' s poison mostly affects the heart and lungs of human beings . mambas mostly like to live in stems of trees and also in other places such as dense forests , rocky lands and in deserts .
endemic to africa , jameson ' s mamba is mostly found in central and west africa , but it can be found in some areas of east africa . here , it lives in rainforests , woodland , forest - savannah , and deforested areas at elevations up to 2 , 200 meters ( 7 , 200 feet ) ! it is arboreal , more so than all the other mambas . however , it is very adaptable , and is often found in parks , buildings , farmlands , and generally anywhere there are people .
the american heritage® stedman ' s medical dictionary copyright © 2002 , 2001 , 1995 by houghton mifflin company . published by houghton mifflin company .
chevy : you seem to have misread parts of c . j . p . ionides book ` ` mambas and man - eaters . ` ` he does mention orange and coral colored snakes , but he is talking about cobras , not mambas when he states this . we have to remember that he was working in africa between 1945 and 1965 , so all the modern sub - specific designations of the mambas were not known to him . he says on page 159 ` ` the three mambas i know , namely the black , the green and jameson ` s are all arboreal . ` ` he makes no distinction between the greens of east or west africa . later in the book he says ` ` the green is a beautiful mamba with an iridescent green back and a distinctly yellowish - green belly . for coloring and grace second only to the jameson ` s which is a wonderful velvety blue with dark green interspersed with black on the anterior portions and a black tail . ` ` this would seem to explain the blue mamba you mentioned . hope this helps johnz
renal symptoms are uncommon in mamba envenomation , but may complicate the situation , and if severe ( i . e . , acute renal failure ) may necessitate peritoneal dialysis .
the venom of jameson’s mamba is highly neurotoxic , the main neurotoxins being dendrotoxins , but also contains cardiotoxins , hemotoxins , and myotoxins . symptoms of envenomation include but are not limited to : respiratory paralysis , drowsiness , restlessness , sudden loss of consciousness , vertigo , limb paralysis , ataxia ( sudden loss of control of body movement ) , shock , hypotension , nausea , vomiting , epistaxis ( bleeding from the nose ) , and a plethora of other things you really don’t want to have ( and would take up too much space here ) .
the largest venomous snake is king cobra and the most venomous is a species of sea krait . they are closely related to the more tree - dwelling green mamba , which is just as deadly . both types of mamas are rear - fanged . rear - fanged snakes cannot fold their fangs back like rattlesnakes and others . the fangs are fixed much like those of a coral snake ; however , the black mamba ' s fangs are located in the rear of the mouth not the front .
saunders , c . r . : report on a black mamba bite of a medical colleague . cent . afr . j . med . , 26 : 121 , 1980 .
= 0 . 022 ) between the mean decline of females ( mean = 81 . 2 % , s . d . = 8 . 071 ,
= 0 . 045 ) between that of males from europe ( mean = 57 . 2 % , s . d . = 18 . 80 ,
with the nearest anti - venom for the green mamba bite in london , and no secure facilities available the decision was to put the animal down due to “health and safety concerns” .
pitman , c . r . s . 1974 . a guide to the snakes of uganda . codicote , wheldon & wesley , l . , 290 pp .
: mamba bites can cause severe , even lethal systemic ( paralytic ) effects . they require urgent assessment & treatment . admit at least overnight . instant antivenin therapy is the most important treatment .
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( yes , there’s so much i need another slide , that’s how bad it is . ) after being bitten , death can occur 30 and 120 minutes , but may take up to six hours or more , for untreated bites . the mortality rate for untreated bites is unknown , but is said to be very high .
aeberhard , r . 2008 . dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae - haltung und erste erfahrungen mit der vermehrung von jamesons mamba . reptilia ( münster ) 13 ( 70 ) : 31 - 36 - get paper here
treatment summary mamba bites can cause severe , even lethal systemic ( paralytic ) effects . they require urgent assessment & treatment . admit at least overnight . urgent antivenom therapy is the most important treatment .
treatment : mamba bites can cause severe , even lethal systemic ( paralytic ) effects . they require urgent assessment & treatment . admit at least overnight . instant antivenin therapy is the most important treatment .
= 10 , range : 69 . 5–96 . 0 % ) and males ( mean = 63 . 8 % , s . d . = 19 . 22 ,
lillywhite , harvey b . 2014 . how snakes work : structure , function and behavior of the world ' s snakes . oxford university press , new york , 256 pp
= 0 . 243 ) between the magnitude of the decline of females from europe ( mean = 78 . 9 % , s . d . = 7 . 39 ,
it ' s a dog eat dog world , take a look at these amazing cannibal animals , from a snake swallowing a kangaroo to a seagull eating a fellow bird .
a bright green coloration helps the animal to hide in the foliage of its native africa . an egg layer , the green mamba , has been observed feeding on birds , mammals , and the occasional reptile . once anti - venom was produced , the death rate from mamba bites has gone down but still remains a serious threat to humans as this animal and the growing human population come into contact with each other .
each vial of s . a . i . m . r . polyvalent antivenom is packaged as a pepsin - digested purified liquid form , and is ready for immediate use .
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the bite of the black mamba is deadly and will kill a human around 4 hours after receiving the bite . the venom is neurotoxic and cardiotoxic . if not treated the symptoms are but not limited to : the tightening of the chest muscles , blurred vision , mental confusion , and an overall feeling of great discomfort . biting and the threat display will only occur if the snake is not able to escape . an example of this would be a snake caught in someone ' s house with the owner trying to remove it with a broom . before antivenin was available the bite of a black mamba was always fatal .
the black mamba is in the kingdom animalia which contains all eukaryotic organisms that lack a cell wall , can’t produce their own food , are motile at some point in their life cycle , and have flat mitochondrial cristae .
pauwels , o . s . g . & vande weghe , j . p . 2008 . les reptiles du gabon . smithsonian institution , washington : 272 pp . - get paper here
1 . it is possible for a jameson ' s mamba to deliver more than one bite in a single attack , and thus may inject a larger volume of venom . if there is evidence that such an attack occurred ( i . e . , history or multiple bite sites ) , the initial dose of antivenom should be 8 vials ( 80 mls ) given by direct intravenous infusion . give the antivenom at a rate of 1 vial ( 10 mls ) per 2 minutes . watch closely for signs of allergic response . give all subsequent antivenom doses in one vial incre - ments at a rate of 1 ( 10 mls ) vial per 5 minutes as necessitated by the presence of continued signs and symptoms of envenomation .
< p > this section provides information about the protein and gene name ( s ) and synonym ( s ) and about the organism that is the source of the protein sequence . < p > < a href = ' / help / names _ and _ taxonomy _ section ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
bandage and immobilize the bitten limb with crepe bandages and splint as described in the immediate first aid section . rest this extremity below the level of the patient ' s heart ( if practical ) .
they are aggressive snakes that spring up to strike so when someone gets bitten , it ' s usually on the head . black mambas also go after birds - and they ' re good at it . one mamba even had a parrot inside its stomach . after biting their prey , black mambas leave it to die . the venom is strong enough to kill prey in a matter of minutes so the snakes don ' t have to wait long for their meal .
have the south african institute for medical research ( s . a . i . m . r . ) polyvalent antivenom ready for the emergency crew to take with the victim to the hospital . give them the following :
traill , t . s . 1843 . description of the elaps jamesoni , a new species of serpent from demerara . edinburgh new . phil . j . , 34 ( 67 ) : 53 - 55 - get paper here
keep the victim calm and reassured . allow him or her to lie flat and avoid as much movement as possible . if possible , allow the bitten limb to rest at a level lower than the victim ' s heart .
rain forest facts : one of the most feared snakes in africa , the green mamba , is capable of delivering a powerful neurotoxic venom to both prey items and would - be predators . this highly arboreal animal is thinly built to allow for ease of movement in the trees .
very slowly begin to remove the bandages and splint watching carefully for any changes in the patient ' s status . if any changes occur , assume the patient has been envenomed and prepare to give antivenom immediately ( as directed below ) .
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: jameson ' s mambas are supposed to be quite nervous in captivity but the pair i have are relatively docile . however , they are very alert and will follow every movement . my mambas are active during they day and i often find them moving about in the branches . at night they hide in the trap boxes or plants . due to their agility and speed mambas can be a handful to handle . i use trap boxes when i need to move my individuals . if necessary i use tongs and / or hooks to maneuver them . captive breeding seems to be very rare . as far as i know only a few successful breedings have been recorded in europe .
carlino , p . & pauwels , o . s . g . 2015 . an updated reptile list of ivindo national park , the herpetofaunal hotspot of gabon . bull . chicago herp . soc . 50 ( 3 ) : 25 - 39 - get paper here
withdraw the contents of 4 vials of south african institute for medical research ( s . a . i . m . r . ) polyvalent antivenom . administer the antivenom i . v . piggyback at a rate of 1 vial ( 10 mls ) per minute .
captivity behaviour and handling : jameson’s mambas are supposed to be quite nervous in captivity but the pair i have are relatively docile . however , they are very alert and will follow every movement . my mambas are active during they day and i often find them moving about in the branches . at night they hide in the trap boxes or plants . due to their agility and speed mambas can be a handful to handle . i use trap boxes when i need to move my individuals . if necessary i use tongs and / or hooks to manoeuvre them . captive breeding seems to be very rare . as far as i know only a few successful breedings have been recorded in europe .
neurological symptoms ( especially respiratory obstruction or failure ) tend to predominate the clinical picture in cases of mamba envenomation , and are usually the most immediate cause of dangerous problems . often , these are improved by the antivenom . if breathing becomes impaired , provide respiratory assistance . secretions may become copious necessitating suctioning or even intubation .
naja nigricollis has an extreme geographic range within africa . the morph we maintain and breed is the black , red bellied with a skin texture of a silky matt finish similar to that of a boelen ' s python . it should be understood that these snakes rarely spit .
after the first four vials ( 40 mls ) of antivenom have been administered , the splint and the bandages may be removed . this should be done very slowly over a period of five minutes to prevent a bolus release of venom . if the patient ' s condition worsens :
enclosure : i recommend that jameson’s mambas are kept in large spacious enclosures which have been equipped with branches and live plants . a few hidingplaces , such as trap boxes are required . i keep my pair in an enclosure 240cm wide , 120cm high and 80cm deep . i use two trap boxes , one in each side of the enclosure ( cold and warm ) . i’ve never seen my mambas drink from the water bowl i keep on the floor in the terrarium . instead they drink water that has collected in their coils after they have been sprayed . the temperature during the day is 32°c on the warm side and 26° c on the cold side and at night around 24°c . i keep the relative humidity at 75 - 85 % .
pauwels , o . s . g . ; kamdem toham , a . & chimsunchart , c . 2002 . recherches sur l’herpétofaune du massif du chaillu , gabon . bull . inst . roy . sci . nat . belgique ( biologie ) 72 : 47 - 57 - get paper here
spawls , s . ; howell , k . ; drewes , r . c . & ashe , j . 2002 . a field guide to the reptiles of east africa . academic press , 543 pp . [ reviews in hr 34 : 396 and afr . j . herp . 51 ; 147 ] - get paper here
< p > this section provides information on sequence similarities with other proteins and the domain ( s ) present in a protein . < p > < a href = ' / help / family _ and _ domains _ section ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
as the name indicates , this is a nocturnal snake , which rests up under logs and in termitaria during the day . it has poor eyesight and hunts mainly by smell . although this snake is poisonous , it ' s venom is not very potent and causes mainly pain and swelling . there are no recorded deaths caused by this snake .
black mambas are snakes eight to ten feet in length . they are not actually black but more of an olive to a gray color . the ' black ' part of the name comes from the color of the inside of the snake ' s mouth , which is a purple black color . their belly color is normally gray or light green .
immediately wrap a large crepe bandage snugly around the bitten limb starting at the site of the bite and working proximally up the limb ( the full length if possible ) . the bandage should be as tight as one might bind a sprained ankle . ( see the attached copy from
first aid for snakebite
, by dr . s . k . sutherland . )
they can grow up to 14 feet ( 4 . 3 meters ) long , another reason why this reptile isn ' t something to mess with . the snake races along with its head held high and about one - third of its body off the ground . that can be up to four feet ( 1 . 2 meters ) off the ground - about chin level for some people . the black mamba is the most respected and feared snake in africa .
the fastest land snake in the world is the aggressive black mamba found in the southern part of tropical africa . you might have heard stories about this snake overtaking people on galloping horses but although these snakes are fast , they aren ' t that fast . they can reach top speeds of 10 - 12 mph ( 16 - 19 km / h ) in short bursts over level ground - good luck trying to outrun one of these snakes if you tick it off !
< p > this indicates the type of evidence that supports the existence of the protein . note that the ‘protein existence’ evidence does not give information on the accuracy or correctness of the sequence ( s ) displayed . < p > < a href = ' / help / protein _ existence ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
< p > this subsection of the < a href =
urltoken
> names and taxonomy < / a > section provides information on the name ( s ) of the organism that is the source of the protein sequence . < p > < a href = ' / help / organism - name ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
it is important to keep venom neutralization current and continuous . the best method to accomplish this is to keep a close watch on the patient ' s status . if the present condition does not improve , or should it worsen for any reason , additional antivenom should be administered . the antivenom should always be given by intravenous infusion at a rate of one vial per 5 minutes . give all additional antivenom in unit ( one vial ) doses .
the main importance of these findings is that snakes are top predator within the habitats they are found in and as such play a potentially important role in the functioning of many ecosystems ,
said chris reading of the uk ' s centre for ecology and hydrology , who led the research .
for example they play an important role in pest control – small rodents [ like ] rats and mice - in areas such as paddies and sugar cane plantations .
reticulated python is the world ' s largest reptile specie and also the longest snake ever existed . as it ' s a python it is non - venomous and it does not have fangs . these snakes grow upto 22 feet and weighs upto 75 kilograms . these monster snakes are found in the southeastern asia that is singapore , thailand , india , etc . these snakes mostly live in dense forests , swamp places and in the tropical areas these pythons are also good swimmers they can stay underwater for more than an hour . reticulated python mostly feed on rats , small birds , street dogs , chickens , cats and also human beigns . these snakes can even eat a healthy sized deer very easily and they mostly don ' t attack humans but they can eat them very easily . reticulated pythons squeeze their preys until they are dead due to suffocation . pythons can ' t move fast due to their heavy weight . these snakes have life - span upto 20 years .
< p > this subsection of the ‘entry information’ section provides one or more accession number ( s ) . these are stable identifiers and should be used to cite uniprotkb entries . upon integration into uniprotkb , each entry is assigned a unique accession number , which is called ‘primary ( citable ) accession number’ . < p > < a href = ' / help / accession _ numbers ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
in the snake world , the king cobra is one of the poisonous snakes . it ' s maximum size is upto 19 feet and weighs upto 5 - 6 kilograms whereas it is also one of the longest deadly snake . king cobras are mostly found in deep forests of south asian continent and in large numbers in india . king cobras are fearless and fast species compared to other snakes in the world . king cobra has multiple different types of shiny colours of scales the most common is olive green colour and the other colours are black , reddish and grey . the lower part of king cobras is mostly light yellowish colour . king cobras have excellent sensing power and they mostly attack their preys in day time . cobras mostly make the small preys as their food such as the rodents ( rats ) , small birds and lizards , some large cobras can even eat a prey double of their size . king cobras venom is very poisonous it ' s venom can kill an average sized human being in less than an hour .
< p > this section displays by default the canonical protein sequence and upon request all isoforms described in the entry . it also includes information pertinent to the sequence ( s ) , including < a href =
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urltoken
> uniref < / a > ) . < p > < a href = ' / help / similar _ proteins _ section ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
the snake study , published in the royal society journal biology letters , is the latest in growing number of research papers warning of widespread biodiversity loss in the uk and around the world . the international union for the conservation of nature has said that one third of amphibians and fish , one fifth of mammals and more than one in ten birds is threatened with extinction , and described the rate of loss as one of the great extinctions – the last being the events that wiped out dinosaurs 65m years ago . natural england , the government ' s countryside agency , reported in march that on average more than two species are becoming extinct in england every year .
funding was provided by naoc , aquater snamprogetti , t . s . k . j . , eni , chelonian research foundation , turtle conservation fund and conservation international ( nigeria ) , gran sasso - monti della laga national park , romanatura ( italy , cg79 , cnrs ( france ) , arc and dep ( australia ) . permits were issued by natural england ( uk ) , gran sasso - monti della laga national park ( italy ) and the federal department of forestry ( nigeria ) . field co - workers included f . m . angelici , c . anibaldi , d . capizzi , m . capula , e . a . eniang and o . lourdais , as well as many students and volunteers who cannot be cited .
< p > the checksum is a form of redundancy check that is calculated from the sequence . it is useful for tracking sequence updates . < / p > < p > it should be noted that while , in theory , two different sequences could have the same checksum value , the likelihood that this would happen is extremely low . < / p > < p > however uniprotkb may contain entries with identical sequences in case of multiple genes ( paralogs ) . < / p > < p > the checksum is computed as the sequence 64 - bit cyclic redundancy check value ( crc64 ) using the generator polynomial : x < sup > 64 < / sup > + x < sup > 4 < / sup > + x < sup > 3 < / sup > + x + 1 . the algorithm is described in the iso 3309 standard . < / p > < p class =
publication
> press w . h . , flannery b . p . , teukolsky s . a . and vetterling w . t . < br / > < strong > cyclic redundancy and other checksums < / strong > < br / > < a href =
urltoken
> numerical recipes in c 2nd ed . , pp896 - 902 , cambridge university press ( 1993 ) < / a > ) < / p >
elaps jamesoni traill 1843 : 53 dendraspis angusticeps duméril 1856 : 558 ( non smith ) dendraphis jamesoni günther 1858 dendraspis welwitschii günther 1865 : 97 dinophis fasciolatus fischer 1885 : 111 dendraspis jamesonii – boettger 1888 dendraspis welwitschii — günther 1895 : 529 dendraspis jamesonii – boulenger 1896 : 436 dendraspis angusticeps — boulenger 1897 : 280 dendraspis neglectus barboza du bocage 1903 : 44 dendroaspis jamesoni — schmidt 1923 : 131 dendroaspis jamesoni jamesoni — loveridge 1936 : 64 dendroaspis jamesonii jamesonii – mertens 1941 : 280 dendroaspis jamesoni jamesoni — broadley 1991 : 527 dendroaspis jamesoni — welch 1994 : 55 dendroaspis jamesoni — chirio & ineich 2006 dendroaspis jamesoni — wallach et al . 2014 : 222 dendroaspis jamesoni — spawls et al . 2018 : 562 dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae loveridge 1936 dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae — pitman 1974 dendroaspis jamesoni kaimosae — dobiey & vogel 2007
kaimosae : w kenya , uganda , rwanda , adjacent zaire ; type locality : kaimosi forest , near the friends’ africa mission , kakamega district , nyanza province , kenya colony .
note : tdwg regions are generated automatically from the text in the distribution field and not in every cases it works well . we are working on it .
type : bmnh 1946 . 1 . 20 . 43 ( and possibly additional specimens ) . type : mcz , nairobi museum , usnm , fmnh [ kaimosae ]
venomous ! synonymy ( partly ) after a . schmitz ( pers . comm . ) . has been reported from sao tome but records neen confirmation ( schätti & loumont 1992 ) . not in benin fide ullenbruch et al . 2010 . type species : elaps jamesoni traill 1843 is the type species of the genus dendroaspis schlegel 1848 .
aeberhard , r . 2008 . beobachtungen zum verhalten der grün gefärbten mambas ( dendroaspis viridis , d . angusticeps und d . jamesoni kaimosae ) im terrarium . reptilia ( münster ) 13 ( 70 ) : 26 - 30 - get paper here
beolens , bo ; michael watkins , and michael grayson 2011 . the eponym dictionary of reptiles . johns hopkins university press , baltimore , usa - get paper here
bocage , barboza du 1903 . g . a . boulenger - batraciens nouveaux et reptiles nouveaux . j . sci . math . phys . nat . lisboa : 7 ( 2 ) : 62 - 64
bocage , j . v . du b . 1866 . lista dos reptis das possessões portuguezas d ' africa occidental que existem no museu lisboa . jorn . sci . math . phys . nat . lisboa 1 : 37 - 56
boettger , o . 1888 . materialien zur fauna des unteren congo . ii . reptilien und batrachier . ber . senck . ges . 1887 : 3 - 108 - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1897 . a list of reptiles and batrachians from the congo free state , with the description of two new snakes . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 6 ) 19 : 276 - 281 - get paper here
boulenger , g . a . 1896 . catalogue of the snakes in the british museum , vol . 3 . london ( taylor & francis ) , xiv + 727 pp . - get paper here
broadley , d . g . 1991 . the herpetofauna of northern mwinilunga distr . , northw . zambia . arnoldia zimbabwe 9 ( 37 ) : 519 - 538
broadley , d . g . ; doria , c . t . & wigge , j . 2003 . snakes of zambia . an atlas and field guide . edition chimaira , frankfurt , 280 pp . [ review in sauria 26 ( 3 ) : 21 ]
burger , m . ; branch , w . r . & channing , a . 2004 . amphibians and reptiles of monts doudou , gabon : species turnover along an elevational gradient . california academy of sciences memoir 28 : 145–186
chifundera , k . 1990 . snakes of zaire and their bites . afr . stud . monogr . ( kyoto ) 10 ( 3 ) : 137 - 157 .
chirio , l . & lebreton , m . 2007 . atlas des reptiles du cameroun . mnhn , ird , paris 688 pp .
chirio , laurent and ivan ineich 2006 . biogeography of the reptiles of the central african republic . african journal of herpetology 55 ( 1 ) : 23 - 59 . - get paper here
dobiey , m . & vogel , g . 2007 . venomous snakes of africa / giftschlangen afrikas . edition chimaira , terralog 15 , 150 pp . - get paper here
doucet , j . 1963 . les serpents de la republique de cote d ' ivoire . acta tropica ( basel ) 20 : 201 - 259 , 297 - 340 .
duméril , a . h . a . 1856 . note sur les reptiles du gabon . revue et magasin de zoologie pure et appliquée , paris , ( 2 ) 8 : 369 - 377 , 417–424 , 460–470 , 553–562 - get paper here
fischer , j . g . 1885 . ichthyologische und herpetologische bemerkungen . v . herpetologische bemerkungen . jahrb . hamburg . wiss . anst . 2 : 82 - 121 - get paper here
günther , a . 1865 . fourth account of new species of snakes in the collection of the british museum . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 3 ) 15 : 89 - 98 . - get paper here
günther , a . 1895 . notice of reptiles and batrachians collected in the eastern half of tropical africa . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 6 ) 15 : 523 - 529 . - get paper here
herrmann , hans - werner ; schmitz , andreas ; herrmann , patricia a . & böhme , wolfgang 2007 . amphibians and reptiles of the tchabal mbabo mountains , adamaoua plateau , cameroon . bonner zoologische beiträge 55 ( 1 / 2 ) : 27 - 35 - get paper here
hofer , d . 2002 . the são tomé and principé handbook . d . hofer verlag , bern , 152 pp .
hughes , b . 2013 . snakes of bénin , west africa . bull . soc . herp . france 144 : 101 - 159
jacobsen , n . h . g . 2009 . a contribution to the herpetofauna of the passendro area , central african republic . african herp news ( 47 ) : 2 - 20
loveridge , a . 1936 . african reptiles and amphibians in the field museum of natural history . zool . ser . field mus . nat . hist . , chicago , 22 ( 1 ) : 1 - 122 - get paper here
loveridge , a . 1936 . new tree snakes of the genera thrasops and dendraspis from kenya colony . proc . biol . soc . washington , 49 : 63 - 66 - get paper here
loveridge , arthur 1929 . east african reptiles and amphibians in the united states national museum . bull . us natl . mus . ( 151 ) : 1 - 135 - get paper here
mertens , r . 1941 . zur kenntnis der herpetofauna von fernando - poo . zool . anz . 135 : 275 - 281
nagy , z . t . , d . adriaens , e . pauwels , l . van hoorebeke , j . kielgast , c . kusamba & k . jackson 2013 . 3d reconstruction of fang replacement in the venomous snakes dendroaspis jamesoni ( elapidae ) and bitis arietans ( viperidae ) . salamandra 49 ( 2 ) : 109 - 113 - get paper here
ota , h . & hikida , t . 1987 . on a small collection of lizards and snakes from cameroon , west africa . african study monographs 8 ( 2 ) : 111 - 123 - get paper here
reading , c . j . ; l . m . luiselli , g . c . akani , x . bonnet , g . amori , j . m . ballouard , e . filippi , g . naulleau , d . pearson , l . rugiero 2010 . are snake populations in widespread decline ? biol . lett . 2010 6 777 - 780 ; doi : 10 . 1098 / rsbl . 2010 . 0373 - get paper here
schatti , b . , & loumont , c . 1992 . [ a contribution to the herpetofauna of sao tome ( gulf of guinea ) ( amphibia & reptilia ) ] . zool . abhandl . staatl . mus . für tierkunde , dresden , 47 : 23 - 36
schlegel , h . 1848 . over elaps jamesonii traillust . bijdragen tot de dierkunde 1 : 5
schmitz a . , euskirchen , o . & böhme w . 2000 . zur herpetofauna einer montanen regenwaldregion in sw - kamerun ( mt . kupe und bakossi - gergland ) . iii . einige bemerkenswerte vertreter der familien lacertidae , scincidae , varanidae , elapidae und viperidae . herpetofauna 22 ( 124 ) : 16 - 27 - get paper here
segniagbeto glazcano . h . , trape j . f . , david p . , ohler a . , dubois a . & glitho i . a . 2011 . the snake fauna of togo : systematics , distribution and biogeography , with remarks on selected taxonomic problems . zoosystema 33 ( 3 ) : 325 - 360 . doi : 10 . 5252 / z2011n3a4 - get paper here
spawls , steve ; kim howell , harald hinkel , michele menegon 2018 . field guide to east african reptiles . bloomsbury , 624 pp . - get paper here
trape , j . f . & r . roux - estève 1995 . les serpents du congo : liste commentée et clé de détermination . journal of african zoology 109 ( 1 ) : 31 - 50
trape , jean - françois & cellou baldé 2014 . a checklist of the snake fauna of guinea , with taxonomic changes in the genera philothamnus and dipsadoboa ( colubridae ) and a comparison with the snake fauna of some other west african countries . zootaxa 3900 ( 3 ) : 301–338


the eastern spiny mouse or arabian spiny mouse ( acomys dimidiatus ) is a species of rodent in the family muridae .

they have a wide range , having been found in middle eastern deserts , as well as being prevalent in riverine forests in africa .

this is the only species of spiny mouse which may have black coloration .

their diet is similar to other species of spiny mouse , consisting mostly of seeds .

eastern spiny mouse

the eastern spiny mouse in captivity may have a lifespan of between 3 and 5 years .
the arabian spiny mouse is found in south - western parts of asia and north - eastern africa ( 1 ) .
cairo spiny mice are also known as egyptian spiny mice , arabian spiny mice , greater wilfred ' s mice , or northeast african spiny mice .
if it looks like a mouse , behaves like a mouse , walks like a mouse and eats like a mouse , it must be . . . a gerbil ! or at least , a close relative .
behavior / temperament : the domesticated eastern spiny mouse has a reputation for being docile and easy - to - handle . they rarely bite unless hurt or very frightened : the most common cause of biting is improper handling . a well - socialized eastern spiny mouse may enjoy climbing and exploring on their owner , though unfortunately they can’t be “housetrained” and may urinate and defecate when being handled .
omnivorous , it feeds on insects , spiders , snails and various plant materials and seeds . where its range overlaps with that of the golden spiny mouse ( acomys russatus ) , the two species may exploit the same food sources , with the cairo spiny mouse feeding during the night , and the golden spiny mouse , during the day .
the basics : named for the course , spine - like hairs on its back , the eastern spiny mouse is a unique option for those fancying a more exotic rodent pet . like the more common fancy mouse , the eastern spiny mouse is curious , dynamic , and interactive . they don’t require a lot of room and are relatively easy to care for . they’re a bit larger than the common mouse and less inclined to quick , darting movements , potentially making them a better option for older children who can handle them gently .
as well as the spiny fur , which can act as a deterrent to potential predators , the arabian spiny mouse can easily shed its tail , either whole or in part , with no great impact on the mouse , a remarkable feature that can aid the mouse’s escape from a predator ( 2 ) .
the eastern spiny mouse has the additional benefit of being a desert species – they drink less water and their urine may have a less pungent odor than other mice . in the wild , they can be found throughout africa , india , and the middle east . wild animals should never be taken as pets , so it’s important to find a responsible breeder of domestic eastern spiny mice .
in developing arid regions , the golden spiny mouse has become a small nuisance to agricultural fields that use drip irrigation . in particular ,
the egyptian spiny mouse usually produce two litters a year . gestation is about thirty five days and they may produce from 1 to 4 offspring .
the egyptian spiny mouse is a small rodent that has a possum - like face and a calm temperament . they are a golden brown color with light patches underneath their eyes and behind their ears . their spines can be black or tan . the overall size for a spiny mouse is 5 to 7 inches . spiny mice may live up to 5 years in captivity .
the gray mouse lemur , microcebus murinus , occurs mainly in dry forests in western madagascar , but its distribution extends into humid littoral forests in the south - eastern anosy region . we sequenced the mitochondrial hypervariable region 1 for 282 m . murinus individuals from 13 south - eastern study sites . the spatial distribution of mitochondrial haplotypes and the varying genetic distances within two haplotype clades indicated a trend of decreasing genetic diversity towards the south - eastern margin of the range . rufous mouse lemurs , microcebus cf . rufus , have a complementary distribution in south - eastern madagascar which does not overlap with that of m . murinus . taken together , the spatial distribution of genetic diversity within m . murinus and the distinct ranges of the two species could indicate a recent expansion of gray mouse lemurs into littoral forests in south - eastern madagascar .
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fossil evidence suggests that the cairo spiny mouse ' s ancestors first appeared in africa , in the late miocene epoch about 5 to 11 million years ago .
populations are slowly increasing as human progress advances further into deserts and arid regions . this is because human habitation supplies additional food sources for the golden spiny mouse .
the cairo spiny mouse , which occurs across much of northern and eastern africa and the middle east , occupies the widest range of all the spiny mouse species . it favors arid rocky canyons and cliffs and gravel plains . it has also adapted well to human settlements , making its home in building crevices , rock walls , date groves and gardens . it appears to relish high temperatures , ranging from the mid 80 ' s to over 100 degrees fahrenheit .
note : care should be taken when handling a spiny mouse as the tail is very fragile and can be shed . once lost , it will not grow back .
communication : the animal apparently relies heavily on chemical releases that serve as a primary communication cues for identification of littermates , weaning of offspring and interactions with other spiny mouse species .
the golden spiny mouse is a non - aggressive rodent . when in danger or alarmed , it outwardly projects its bristly spines in order to make itself appear larger to a predator .
haim , a . , f . rozenfeld . 1998 . spacing behaviour between two desert rodents , the golden spiny mouse acomys russatus and the bushy - tailed gerbil sekeetamys calurus . .
cairo spiny mouse source : picture taken by olaf leillinger on 2005 - 08 - 13 license : cc - by - sa - 2 . 0 / de and gnu fdl . wikimedia .
golden spiny mice live in arid regions consisting of deserts and savannas dominated by rocky crevices .
the eastern spiny mouse is nocturnal and is an omnivore ( eats both animals and plants ) , specializes in eating hard - shell snails . it can often be found by the big pile of white empty snail shells it leaves on a rock - shelf or under a bush . an interesting mechanism , perhaps used for defense , is the ability to lose the skin tissue that connects the tail to the body and by that , lose the tail . as opposing to some lizards that do that , the spiny mouse cannot grow
spiny mice can be housed in a wire cage or an aquarium . the floor of the cage should have a deep bed of shavings in which they can hide and nest . nestboxes or hide boxes may be used to create a suitable environment for a spiny mouse . spiny mice also enjoy playing on exercise wheels . spiny mice require a warmer temperature than most other mice because they have heat resistant fur that is not built to keep them warm in colder temperatures .
the cairo spiny mouse breeds throughout the seasons , with the female delivering several litters of two or three pinkies over a year ' s time . extremely maternal , especially just before delivering a litter , she has been known to steal another mouse ' s baby and to groom and nurse it . if she doesn ' t have a baby , she may try to groom an adult mouse .
scientists at princeton university say the cairo spiny mouse may look like an old world mouse or rat , but it resembles a mongolian gerbil at the molecular level .
for mammals ,
say the scientists ,
this is the largest discrepancy known between a morphological and a molecular classification .
aside from full or partial tail detachment , the eastern spiny mouse has no specific health concerns . they may be susceptible to the same issues that fancy mice do , including respiratory infections ( from drafty situations ) , occlusion ( from overgrowth of teeth ) , bacterial infections ( from unsanitary conditions ) , and diarrhea ( from diet or stress ) .
different authorities classify african spiny mice into as few as 14 species and as many as 19 . the
characterized by the harsh , inflexible spiny hairs of their upperparts . african spiny mice have large eyes and ears and scaly , nearly bald tails that are shorter than or about as long as the body . the
appearance / health : the eastern spiny mouse is a small - to - medium sized rodent with an average length of 5 to 7 inches . their bodies are covered in short fur which , when stroked against the direction of the hair follicles , feels coarse and quill - like . their long , slender tails look bare but are actually covered in short bristles – and be careful : the eastern spiny mouse’s tail can easily detach , an adaptation developed to escape predators . the have a long , pointed snout , large , black eyes , and large oval - shaped ears . the coat is a dark tan with black or grey tips , and white underside . there may be white patches on the backs of the ears . the tail is greyish - brown or buff .
if attacked by a carnivore such as a caracal or a fennec fox , the cairo spiny mouse may readily forfeit quills and skin patches , and its tail - - the price it pays for escape . if captured , it makes the attacker pay a price for the meal . its spiny hairs are difficult to swallow and irritating to the throat of its predator .
, but analyses of dental and molecular data suggest that the african spiny mice form a distinctive and separate subfamily , acomyinae . other african rodents proved to be close relatives of african spiny mice and were also reclassified in this subfamily ; these are
back the tail and will remain with no tail for the rest of its life . the eastern spiny mouse is abundant all around the middle - east from sinai peninsula and arabia in the south to syria and lebanon in the north and south pakistan and iran in the east . it can be found both in the mediterranean and the desert habitats in rocky landscapes . it is less common to find it near human presence although it is not obligatory .
vegetation changes throughout this region , from east to west , resulting in vegetation communities with varied appearance throughout the spiny thicket . parts of the spiny thicket are completely lacking in species of didiereaceae . alluaudia procera and a . ascendens dominate the eastern portions of the ecoregion . to the west , in the north , there are no emergent alluaudia spp . , but instead this area is dominated by didierea madagascariensis , dwarf baobabs adansonia fony , the very large pachypodium geayi , and delonix spp .
golden spiny mice are popular pets in parts of the middle east and can be a food source for pet snakes . spiny mice are easy to maintain and breed in the laboratory ( nowak 1999 ) . this has led to extensive biological and cancer research with these mice .
the arabian spiny mouse is thought to be present in a number of protected areas across its range , such as ein gedi nature reserve in israel ( 1 ) , but there are currently no known specific conservation actions in place for this species as it is not considered threatened at this time .
the cairo spiny mice eat nearly everything , even fiber mats . they are reported to have dined on the mummies in the tombs of egypt .
hapke a . , andrianaivo t . b . d . , gligor m . , razafimahatratra e . ( 2012 ) range shifts of mouse lemurs in south - eastern madagascar : evidence from mitochondrial genetic data . in : masters j . , gamba m . , génin f . ( eds ) leaping ahead . developments in primatology : progress and prospects . springer , new york , ny
is one of the smallest , with a body up to 10 cm long and a tail of less than 2 cm . depending upon the species , fur covering the upperparts may be gray , grayish yellow , brownish red , or reddish . black ( melanistic ) individuals occur in populations of the golden spiny mouse and the
yoder ad , burns m - m , genin f ( 2002 ) molecular evidence of reproductive isolation in sympatric sibling species of mouse lemurs . int j primatol 23 : 1335–1345
eastern spiny mouse has coarse , dark tan and spine - like fur on the upperparts of the body extended from behind the shoulder onto rump . body color varies from pale - brown to brown in color on the upperparts especially mid - dorsum while the underparts and feet white . the ear is large with white patches . whitish suborbital region . tail long , slender , hairless except on closer inspection has short bristles , shorter than the head and body length , upper surface of the tail pale grayish brown and buff or white on the ventral surface . palm and sole of the feet buff and without hairs . claws whitish .
a new species of spiny mouse of the genus acomys ( rodentia , murinae ) is described . this species is distinguished from the three other palearctic species of acomys by its black coloration and in that the baculum terminates distally in a completely cartilaginous trifid rather than a bony or partly bony trifid as in the other species . a key to these species of acomys is provided .
housing : eastern spiny mice are best housed in glass aquariums with a mesh cover . as a desert animal , they thrive in warmer temperatures ( around 81 degrees f ) and if kept in a cooler environment , may benefit from the addition of a red heat lamp . the cage should be kept in an area free of drafts or direct sunlight . keep in mind that mice are nocturnal , so keeping their cage in a bedroom might result in unrestful sleep for the human occupants !
weisrock dw , rasoloarison rm , fiorentino i , ralison jm , goodman sm , kappeler pm , yoder ad ( 2010 ) delimiting species without nuclear monophyly in madagascar’s mouse lemurs . plos one 5 : e9883
head and face : the cairo spiny mouse has a sharply - pointed snout , large and erect rounded ears , and prominent black eyes . like all rodents , it has sharp chisel - like teeth - - especially the continuously - growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws - - that are well adapted for gnawing . around its nose and mouth , it has long tactile hairs which it uses to detect objects in darkness .
. they are also found in southern turkey and on the islands of cyprus and crete . living in rocky , partially vegetated deserts , savannas , and dry woodlands , they den in rock crevices , termite mounds , or other rodents’ burrows . the cairo spiny mouse has the most extensive distribution , extending from northern africa to the indus river ; it lives near or with humans in some parts of its range . the most restricted is
type for acomys kempi catalog number : usnm 182901 collection : smithsonian institution , national museum of natural history , department of vertebrate zoology , division of mammals sex / stage : female ; adult preparation : skin collector ( s ) : a . percival year collected : 1911 locality : mount marsabit , n slope , eastern province , kenya , africa elevation ( m ) : 1402
the cairo spiny mouse , a social creature , lives in a familial group that often has a dominant male that fights for control . it ' s called by a number of names : a newborn or juvenile may be a
pup ,
kitten
or
pinkie ;
the female , a
doe ;
the male , a
buck ;
and the group , a
horde ,
a
colony ,
a
nest ,
or a
mischief .
this species has been recorded from northeastern tanzania ( amani ) and east central tanzania ( kilosa and morogoro regions ) , southeastern democratic republic of the congo , zambia , malawi ( on the nyika plateau ) , zimbabwe , eastern botswana , central mozambique and northern and northwestern south africa ( limpopo province , north - west province , gauteng and mpumalanga ) . it occurs up to 1 , 800 m asl .
fossils of extinct species trace the ancestry of african spiny mice to the late miocene epoch ( 11 . 2 million to 5 . 3 million years ago ) in africa , where they probably lived in habitats not unlike the dry savannas in which existing species are found .
hide - aways such as cardboard shelters and wood boxes should be provided for seclusion and privacy . toys such as obstacle courses and wheels are also recommended to keep the mice stimulated and active . wheels should have a solid floor and be big enough that your mouse can run with back straight .
after some five and a half weeks of pregnancy , she gives birth - - with no nest - - while she stands , often with the help of another female . the helper mouse may nurse the new mother ' s brood along with her own , an unusual behavior in animal species .
mice enjoy chewing , and should always be provided with items to gnaw on to prevent tooth overgrowth . acorns , walnuts , and other hard nuts are acceptable for dental health and as a treat . the wood from fruit trees or wood sticks from the pet store are an option that won’t add excess calories to your mouse’s diet .
all mice are naturally active and inquisitive , and a well - socialized mouse can be gentle and affectionate . they like to run , jump , and climb . they are primarily nocturnal , though they may wake during the day to forage and exercise . they are social creatures and are best kept in pairs or groups brought together while juvenile .
most information regarding reproduction in spiny mice has been discovered through studies carried out in captivity , as they can be hard to locate and study in the wild ( 2 ) . females give birth to a litter of up to five young following an approximate six week gestation period ( 3 ) , and it is not unknown for one female to help another with tasks such as cleaning and nursing ( 5 ) . the young are weaned after two weeks and may reach sexual maturity within two months ( 5 ) . spiny mice have a life expectancy of around five years in captivity , but in the wild this may be reduced to around three years ( 2 ) .
…old world rats and mice , african spiny mice , platacanthomyines , zokors , blind mole rats , and bamboo rats ) . other groups , however , cannot be classified with certainty and may or may not be a hodgepodge of unrelated genera and species ( new world rats and mice , dendromurines , and malagasy rats and mice ) . also unresolved…
take up residence in terrain consisting of dried up river beds and hillsides strewn with boulders ( kronfeld et al . 1994 ) . here , they can squeeze between crevices and remain protected from predators . the color of their pelage further aids in blending into the arid landscape . spiny mice don ' t typically have a family home , but live in a small community with other
young spiny mice are born in the presence of numerous females . these females will help the mother by licking and cleaning the newborn and disconnecting the umbilical cord . other lactating females will attempt to steal and adopt these young as their own . no fighting occurs , and this
policy
seems to be understood within the species . thus in essence , newborns are the
property
of all nursing females within a community ( grzimek 1990 ) . the male ' s role is not significant . he can be found guarding a nest site and finding food during the first few post - natal weeks . parental care mainly occurs by the mother ( s ) in charge . within 3 months the newborns are on their own and sexually mature . typical lifespan is around 3 years .
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this species lives in semi - arid or dry habitats including rocky and hilly areas , dry deciduous forest and scrub forests . it has also been found in agricultural land and even houses ( 1 ) .
classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
there are no known significant threats to this species , which is currently considered to not be at risk of extinction ( 1 ) .
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genus a category used in taxonomy , which is below ‘family’ and above ‘species’ . a genus tends to contain species that have characteristics in common . the genus forms the first part of a ‘binomial’ latin species name ; the second part is the specific name . nocturnal active at night . subspecies a population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species , but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species .
nowak , r . m . ( 1999 ) . walker’s mammals of the world . the john hopkins university press , baltimore , maryland .
varty , n . ( 1990 ) ecology of the small mammals in the riverine forests of the jubba valley , southern somalia . journal of tropical ecology , 6 ( 2 ) : 179–189 .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
see musser and carleton ( 2005 ) for details concerning the relationship between acomys dimidiatus and acomys cahirinus .
justification : listed as least concern in view of its wide distribution , tolerance of a broad range of habitats , presumed large population , and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category .
this widely distributed species ranges from the sinai peninsula of egypt , lebanon , syria , jordan and israel , through much of the arabian peninsula , southern iraq and iran to southern pakistan ( baluchistan and sindh at 300 to 1 , 200 m asl ) in the east of its range .
this species is common in parts of its range ( eg . israel and jordan ) . it was considered to be ' near threatened ' in the united arab emirates by hornby ( 1996 ) .
this species has been recorded from several semi - arid or dry habitats , including rocky areas and hilly soils in mediterranean woodland , dry deciduous forest and scrub forests . in egypt the species invades human habitations , and it can also be encountered in agricultural areas .
it is presumably present in protected areas over much of the species range ( eg . ein gedi nature reserve , israel ) .
this errata assessment has been created because the map was accidentally left out of the version published previously .
( errata version published in 2017 ) . the iucn red list of threatened species 2016 : e . t136471a115208221 .
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mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference ( book , 2005 ) [ worldcat . org ]
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i thought you might be interested in this item at urltoken title : mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference author : don e wilson ; deeann m reeder publisher : baltimore : johns hopkins university press , ©2005 . isbn / issn : 0801882214 9780801882210 0801882389 9780801882388 0801882397 9780801882395 oclc : 57557352
wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of
information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
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this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
a uniquely valuable compendium of taxonomic and distributional data on the world ' s living and historically extinct mammalian species . contributors and editors alike deserve the thanks of all
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wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
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armour jal , neumann r , gobert s , jeffreys aj ( 1994 ) isolation of human simple repeat loci by hybridization selection . hum mol genet 3 : 599–605
( rodentia : muridae ) in africa and asia . israel j zool 40 : 199–214
) from four montane wadis in the st katherine region of the sinai peninsula in egypt . parasitology 129 : 379–398
dawson da , horsburgh gj , küpper c et al ( 2010 ) new methods to identify conserved microsatellite loci and develop primer sets of high utility—as demonstrated for birds . mol ecol res 10 : 475–494
glenn tc , schable na ( 2005 ) isolating microsatellite dna loci . methods enzymol 395 : 202–222
kalinowski st , taper ml , marshall tc ( 2007 ) revising how the computer program cervus accommodates genotyping error and increases success in paternity assignment . mol ecol 16 : 1099–1106
myers p , espinosa r , parr cs , jones t , hammond gs , dewey ta ( 2006 ) family muridae . the animal diversity web .
raymond m , rousset f ( 1995 ) genepop ( version 1 . 2 ) : population genetics software for exact tests and ecumenism . j hered 86 : 248–249
rousset f ( 2008 ) genepop ′007 : a complete re - implementation of the genepop software for windows and linux . mol ecol res 8 : 103–106
royle nj , hill mc , jeffreys aj ( 1992 ) isolation of telomere junction fragments by anchored polymerase chain reaction . proc r soc lond b 247 : 57–61
rozen s , skaletsky hj ( 2000 ) primer3 on the www for general users and for biologist programmers . in : krawetz s , misener s ( eds ) bioinformatics methods and protocols : methods in molecular biology . humana press , totowa , pp 365–386
alfadala , s . , dawson , d . a . , horsburgh , g . j . et al . conservation genet resour ( 2013 ) 5 : 519 . urltoken
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bedding or nesting material is essential . aspen shavings , corn cob bedding , or commercially available paper products are preferred , though paper strips , paper towels , cotton , tissue paper , and rags can provide additional bedding or nesting material . cedar and pine shaving volatile aromatic oils that can cause damage and irritation to the respiratory system , and should not be used .
the cage should be cleaned often to minimize exposure to ammonia and waste products . the frequency of cleaning will depend on the bedding used and the number of mice . to prevent disease , the entire enclosure should be disinfected at least twice a month .
fresh water should always be available and best provided in hanging gravity bottle feeders .
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adult size and weight : typically , the animal ' s head and body measure roughly five inches in length and its tail , about four and a half inches ; its weight equals about one and a quarter to one and a half ounces .
color and coat : its back is covered with a grayish brown coat and hedgehog - like bristles , and its belly , with light gray to white softer hairs . its coat helps dissipate heat and regulate body temperatures . its scaly tail has few hairs . threatened , the animal may spread its quills , making it appear larger and more formidable for an adversary .
body and legs : it has a plump body , short forelegs and long and powerful hind legs , which it uses for scurrying , hopping and climbing . it has dexterous forepaws , which it uses much like hands , facilitating its mobility .
unlike most rodents , the newborn , weighing about two - tenths of an ounce , arrives active , fully furred and open eyed . growing rapidly , it will be weaned within about two weeks . it will reach sexual maturity and begin reproducing within some eight and a half weeks . it will continue growing for perhaps three years , and it may live for as long as five years , with males generally living longer than females .
if the animal evades capture by sacrificing quills and skin patches or its tail , its blood clots exceptionally rapidly , minimizing losses and facilitating healing . however , its tail , which breaks off easily and painfully , never grows back .
burton , m . , & burton , r . ( 1980 ) the new international wildlife encyclopedia ( purnell ) .
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is brittle and breaks off readily either as a whole or in part . the
, is one of the largest , with a body up to 25 cm ( 9 . 8 inches ) long and a shorter tail of up to 7 cm . the
) , possess the ability to slough off patches of skin when attempting to escape capture from predators . the wounds that remain , which may be painful in appearance , may shrink dramatically within the first 24 hours after the injury . they are covered over by new skin at a rate roughly twice as fast as for wounds of similar size and shape that might occur in adult rats .
rodent , ( order rodentia ) , any of more than 2 , 050 living species of mammals characterized by upper and lower pairs of ever - growing rootless incisor teeth . rodents are the largest group of mammals , constituting almost half the class mammalia’s approximately 4 , 660 species . they are indigenous to every land area except antarctica , new zealand , …
asyūṭ , capital of asyūṭ muḥāfaẓah ( governorate ) and one of the largest settlements of upper egypt . it lies on the west bank of the nile river , almost midway between cairo and aswān . the irrigated nile river valley is about 12 miles ( 20 km ) wide at that…
miocene epoch , earliest major worldwide division of the neogene period ( 23 million years to 2 . 6 million years ago ) that extended from 23 million to 5 . 3 million years ago . it is often divided into the early miocene epoch ( 23 million to 16 million years ago ) , the middle miocene epoch ( 16 million…
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horse , ( equus caballus ) , a hoofed , herbivorous mammal of the family equidae . it comprises a single species , …
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this ecological site is preferred habitat for the threatened desert tortoise ( gopherus agassizii agassizii ) . creosote bush shrublands provides a home for an abundance of specialist insect species , for example , creosote bush flowers provide nutrition for over twenty species of bees , and the creosote bush grasshopper ( bootettix argentatus ) feeds solely on creosote leaves ( pavlik 2008 ) . a diverse assemblage of reptiles and mammals are likely to be found in this site . these may include ( based on habitat preferences ) :
this site may be used for hiking , wildflower viewing , and aesthetic enjoyment .
creosote bush is an important medicinal plant for native americans . it has a very wide range of uses from treatment for consumption , bowl complaints , and menstrual cramps , to induce vomiting , relief for arthritis , rheumatism , aching bones and sprains , congestion and cold , as an antiseptic and disinfectant , dandruff , antispasmodic , to induce urination , gonorrhea , and to cancer treatment . ( this list is not exhaustive ) . urltoken
creosote bush stems are used to make weapons , digging tools , and basket handles , and creosote gum is used for knife and awl handles . creosote bush branches are used as thatch in dwelling construction . urltoken
there are two major rock types in the ecoregion ; the tertiary limestone of the mahafaly plateau and the unconsolidated red sands of the central south and southeast . this geology corresponds to a major division in the habitat ( du puy and moat 1996 ) . the taller , dense , dry forest on the sandy soils is dominated by didieria madagascariensis , and the more xeric adapted vegetation on the calcareous plateau around lake tsimanampetsotsa is characterized by dwarf species .
biodiversity features the ecoregion has the highest percentage of plant endemism in madagascar ( jolly et al . 1984 , davis et al . 1994 , phillipson 1996 ) . forty - eight percent of the genera and 95 percent of the species occurring in the ecoregion are endemic to the island . some of the dominant forest species belong to the endemic family didiereaceae . there are 11 species and 4 genera ( didierea , alluaudia , alluaudiopsis and decaryia ) in this family . some of the endemic plants are extremely rare due to restricted ranges , such as aloe suzannae ( liliaceae ) and the palm , dypsis decaryi , as well as tiny euphorbia herbs , pachypodium spp . , and hibiscus shrubs exploited for the ornamental and nursery trades .
the harsh , drought - prone environment has produced extreme adaptations among the plants found here . woody species have long tap roots , swollen storage organs , and waxy caducus leaves . pachycaulous stems are common amongst the succulents , seen in adansonia , pachypodium , and moringa spp . spines are abundant among many plants , including the genera allaudia , pachypodium , mimosa , and didierea , and serve several functions . they protect the plants from moisture seeking animals and combine with large terminal leaves to reduce surface area and moisture loss . in fact , several euphorbia spp . have no leaves and conduct photosynthesis and respiration from the trunk and stems alone . other techniques used to deal with unpredictable rainfall include drying and reviving , toxic sap , and precocial flowering .
the red - shouldered vanga and long - tailed ground roller are recorded as
vulnerable
species on the recent iucn red list of threatened species ( iucn 2000 ) .
as is the case in many reserves in madagascar , the reserves themselves are not well managed or protected . for example , cattle and goat grazing continues in the fragile coastal habitats of cap st marie , an area of heavy exploitation by succulent plant collectors . a priority - setting workshop held in 1995 identified the following sites as in need of immediate conservation : the region around lake tsimanampetsotsa , fiherenana region , cap st . marie , and the mahafaly plateau ( ganzhorn et al . 1997 ) .
invasive plant species , such as prickly pear ( opuntia spp . ) and the rubber vine ( cissus spp . ) , which is only a threat in gallery forest , have increased the degradation of the habitats , especially in disturbed forest areas . as in other regions of madagascar , the collection of endemic species of plants and animals for international trade poses a threat to the integrity of the habitats . illegal collection is a particularly significant threat for the populations of the two endemic species of tortoises and various species of succulent endemic plants .
references cornet , a . 1974 . essai de cartographie bioclimatique à madagascar . notice explicative no 55 , orstom , paris .
davis , s . d . , v . h . heywood , and a . c . hamilton . 1994 . centres of plant diversity , a guide and strategy for their conservation . wwf and iucn , oxford , uk .
donque , g . 1972 . the climatology of madagascar . in biogeography and ecology of madagascar , eds . r battistini , and g . richard - vindard , pp . 87 - 144 . the hague , junk .
du puy , d . j . , and j . moat . 1996 . a refined classification of the primary vegetation of madagascar based on the underlying geology : using gis to map its distribution and to assess its conservation status . in w . r . lourenço ( editor ) . biogéographie de madagascar . pp . 205 - - 218 , + 3 maps . editions de l’orstom , paris .
ganzhorn , j . u . , b . rakotosamimanana , l . hannah , j . hough , l . iyer , s . olivieri , s . rajaobelina , c . rodstrom , g . tilkin . 1997 . priorities for biodiversity conservation in madagascar . primate report 48 - 1 , germany .
goodman , s . m . 1996 . a subfossil record of galidictis grandidieri ( herpestidae : galidiinae ) from southwestern madagascar . mammalia 60 : 150 - 151 .
goodman , s . m . , a . f . a . hawkins , and c . a . domergue . 1997 . a new species of vanga ( vangidae ) from southwestern madgascar . bulletin of the british ornithologists’ club 117 : 5 - 10 .
hawkins f . , m . rabenandrasana , m . c . virginie , r . o . manese , r . mulder , e . r . ellis and r . ramariason . 1998 . field observations of the red - shouldered vanga calicalicus rufocarpalis : a newly described malagasy endemic . bulletin of the african bird club 5 ( 1 ) : 30 - 32 .
humbert , h . 1955 . les territoires phytogéographiques de madagascar . in . colloques internationaux du c . n . r . s . , 59 : les divisions écologique du monde . moyen d’expression , nomenclature , cartographie . paris , juin - juillet 1954 . année biologique , 3e série , 31 : 439 - 448 .
jolly , a . , p . oberlé , and r . albignac . 1984 . key environments : madagascar . pergamon press , oxford .
langrand , o . 1990 . guide to the birds of madagascar . yale university press , new haven .
lowry , p . p . ii , g . e . schatz , and p . b . phillipson . 1997 . the classification of natural and anthropogenic vegetation in madagascar . pp . 93 - 123 in : s . m . goodman and b . d . . patterson ( eds . ) . natural change and human impact in madagascar . smithsonian institution press , washington , d . c .
mittermeier , r . a . , i . tattersall , w . r . konstant , d . m . meyers , and r . b . mast . 1994 . lemurs of madagascar . conservation international , washington , d . c .
morat , p . 1973 . les savanes du sud - ouest de madagascar . mémoires orstom 68 : 1 - 236 .
morris , p . , and f . hawkins . 1998 . birds of madagascar : a photographic guide . yale university press , new haven .
nicoll , m . e . , and o . langrand . 1989 . madagascar : revue de la conservation et des aires protégées . world wide fund for nature , gland , switzerland .
phillipson , p . b . 1996 . endemism and non - endemism in the flora of south - west madagascar . pp . 125 - 136 in . w . r . lourenço ( ed . ) . biogéographie de madagascar . editions de l’orstom , paris .
rakotomalaza , p . j . , and n . messmer . 1999 . structure and floristic composition of the vegetation in the réserve naturelle intégrale d’andohahela , madagascar . in a floral and faunal inventory of the réserve naturelle intégrale d’andohahela , madagascar : with reference to elevational variation . fieldiana : zoology , new series , 94 : 51 - 96 .
stattersfield , a . j . , m . j . crosby , a . j . long , and d . c . wege . 1997 . endemic bird areas of the world . priorities for biodiversity conservation . birdlife conservation series no . 7 . birdlife international , cambridge , uk .
sussman , r . w . , g . m . green , and l . k . sussman . 1994 . satellite imagery , human ecology , anthropology , and deforestation in madagascar . human ecology 22 : 333 - 334 .
udvardy , m . d . f . 1975 . a classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world . iucn occasional paper no . 18 . international union of conservation of nature and natural resources , morges , switzerland .
white f . 1983 . the vegetation of africa , a descriptive memoir to accompany unesco / aetfat vegetation map of africa . unesco , paris .
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these communities are not evenly distributed , but located near food sources . in areas where human habitation exists ,
communities are dense , especially due to agricultural food sources ( haim and rozenfeld 1998 ) . it has been suggested that , since
are passive , through time they have been forced into living in arid environments due to competition / exclusion by other more dominant rodents ( kronfeld et al . 1994 ) .
are light golden brown in appearance on the dorsal surface . the ventral side is white in color however , the entire pelage of this species is bristly with individual , non - prickly spines covering the animal . the bristles tend to be thicker and more abundant dorsally . the ends of the spines are black or grey which gives this species a more light brown appearance instead of bright gold . a single white patch is found below each eye and behind each ear . the dorsal sides of each limb contain a small white patch as well . average body and tail lengths are 7 - 15cm . and 4 - 13cm . , respectively ( grzimek 1990 ) . there is slight sexual dimorphism in size .