Saccostomus campestris Peters 1846
Creators: name: Wilson, Don E.
name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Nesomyidae
Saccostomus
Saccostomus campestris

description: 42. Southern African Pouched Mouse <i>Saccostomus campestris</i> <b>French:</b> Saccostome du Cap / <b>German:</b> Sidliche Kurzschwanzhamsterratte / <b>Spanish:</b> Raton de abazones de Africa meridional <b>Other common names:</b> Cape Pouched Mouse <b>Taxonomy.</b> Saccostomus campestris Peters, 1846, Tete, Zambezi River, Tete District, Mozambique. Saccostomus campestris has high chromosomal variability, prompting suggestions that it may represent a species complex. However, a recent study combining molecular and morphological analyses across southern and eastern Africa has shown that differ ences within this taxon do not represent species-level variation. Hence S. campestris refers to a single, but highly variable, species. Two subspecies recognized. <b>Subspecies and Distribution.</b> S.c.campestrisPeters,1846—SWTanzania,Zambia,Malawi,andNMozambique;populationsfromAngolaandDRCongomayrefertothissubspecies. S. c. mashonae de Winton, 1897 — Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, S Mozambique, South Africa, and Swaziland. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 95-173 mm, tail 28-55 mm, ear 16-20 mm, hindfoot 17-22 mm; weight 33-81 g. The Southern African Pouched Mouse is medium-sized, with well-developed cheek pouches. Fur is soft and gray dorsally, clearly demarcated from white belly. There is significant geographical variation in size and pelage color, with individuals from dry arid zones paler than those from moister woodlands and savannas. Chin, throat, and upper chest are white. Ears are rounded. Tail is noticeably short, sparsely covered in bristles. Limbs are white, with four digits on forefeet and five digits on hindfeet. <b>Habitat.</b> Wide range of low-lying savanna and woodlands from semi-desert conditions to moist miombo woodland, typically below elevations of ¢.1500 m. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Southern African Pouched Mouse eats mostly seeds, which can be cached in burrows. Seeds from more than 20 species of plants have so far been collected from burrows. It also eats green plant material. <b>Breeding.</b> Pregnant Southern African Pouched Mice have been recorded mostly during the warm rainy season in October—-April. Average littersize varies considerably between locations from 5-1 young in Malawi to 6-7 in Zimbabwe, seven in Botswana, and 7-1 in captivity. Growth is rapid, with young reaching 43 g by c.4 weeks of age. Gestation period c.21 days. Neonates are c.3 g in weight, growing to 15 g when weaned after 19-25 days. First conception occurs at 56 days, and litter interval is 53 days. Body mass of young individuals varies with season, but older individuals retain body weight throughoutthe year. <b>Activity patterns.</b> The Southern African Pouched Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial. Individuals excavate burrows in sandy soils or take over existing holes such as those in termite mounds or holes excavated by other mammals. Burrows may be simple, containing a single chamber, or more complex with multiple chambers; they can extend up to 8:5 m. In the laboratory, individuals enter torpor at temperatures similar to those in the cool dry season of its distribution in southern Africa, although males are less inclined to enter torpor than females. Burrows provide thermal protection. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> The Southern African Pouched Mouse is solitary, with single adults occupying burrows. Based on trapping data, home range size is 0-12-0-28 ha. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. <b>Bibliography.</b> Corti et al. (2004), Ellison (1993, 1996), Ellison &amp; Skinner (1992), Ellison, Bronner &amp; Taylor (1993), Ellison, Taylor et al. (1993), Fitzherbert et al. (2007), Gordon (1986), Gordon &amp; Rautenbach (1980), Gordon &amp; Watson (1986), Hanney (1965), Hickman &amp; Machiné (1986), Hurst, McCleery, Collier, Fletcher et al. (2013), Hurst, McCleery, Collier, Silvy et al. (2014), Kerley (1989), Lovegrove &amp; Raman (1998), MacFadyen et al. (2012), Maputla etal. (2011), Mikula et al. (2016), Monadjem (1997b, 1999a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Mzilikazi &amp; Lovegrove (2002), Perrin (2013a), Perrin &amp; Kokkinn (1986), Petter (1966a), Rautenbach (1982), Smithers (1971), Smithers &amp; Tello (1976), Smithers &amp; Wilson (1979), Speakman et al. (1994), Westlin-van Aarde (1988, 1989), Yarnell et al. (2007).
description: Published as part of <i>Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier &amp; Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Nesomyidae, pp. 156-203 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on page 197, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6600357