Steatomys pratensis 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
Steatomys
Steatomys pratensis

description: 66. Common Fat Mouse <i>Steatomys pratensis</i> <b>French:</b> Rat-adipeux de Peters / <b>German:</b> Gewohnliche Fettmaus / <b>Spanish:</b> Raton grueso comin <b>Other common names:</b> Common African Fat Mouse <b>Taxonomy.</b> Steatomys pratensis Peters, 1846, Tete, Zambezi River, Mozambique. This species is monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Widely distributed in S Africa (S DR Congo, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, S Tanzania, Mozambique, NE Namibia, N &amp; SE Botswana, Zimbabwe, N South Africa, and Swaziland; isolated records from Ethiopia and Kenya require verification. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 82-102 mm, tail 40-56 mm, ear 14-17 mm, hindfoot 14-19 mm; weight 22-48 g. The Common Fat Mouse is small, with noticeably short and sparsely haired tail, darker above than below. Fur is soft and highly variable from reddish-brown to dark brown dorsally, clearly demarcated from the pure white belly. Chin, throat, and upper chest are also white. Ears are relatively large and rounded. Limbs are white, with four digits on forefoot and five digits on hindfoot. Number of nipples varies, but there are usually 10-14. <b>Habitat.</b> Wide variety of savannas, woodlands, and agricultural fields, typically with low vegetation cover and often on sandy soils. The Common Fat Mouse appears to select recently burned areas. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Common Fat Mouse is predominantly granivorous but also eats green plant material and insects. <b>Breeding.</b> Breeding of the Common Fat Mouse takes place in the wet season. In Swaziland, pregnant and lactating females have been recorded inJanuary-March, and recruitment of young occurs in March—May. Litter size varies considerably, with 1-9 young. <b>Activity patterns.</b> The Common Fat Mouse is terrestrial and nocturnal. Individuals rest in burrows during the day. A single burrow was ¢.30 cm deep with four entrances, three of which were plugged with soil. Individuals accumulate copious amounts of subcutaneous fat during the wet season, becoming torpid for variable duration during the dry season. Individuals achieve high body weights during the rainy season, becoming significantly lighter during the dry season. Activity is reduced but not eliminated during the dry season. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> The Common Fat Mouse is relatively sedentary, focusing its activity in a small area; mean monthly distances between captures was 36 m in Swaziland. Burrows are usually occupied singly, occasionally two per burrow. Densities are relatively low; maximum densities of ¢.5-6 ind/ha noted in Swaziland. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Lust. <b>Bibliography.</b> De Graaff &amp; Nel (1992), Ellison (1995), Hurst, McCleery, Collier, Fletcher et al. (2013), Hurst, McCleery, Collier, Silvy et al. (2014), Kinahan &amp; Pillay (2008), Linzey &amp; Kesner (1997a), Mahlaba &amp; Perrin (2003), Monadjem (1999a, 1999b, 2013d), Monadjem &amp; Perrin (2003), Monadjem et al. (2015), Perrin &amp; Curtis (1980), Perrin &amp; Richardson (2004, 2005a, 2005b), Plavsic (2015), Rautenbach et al. (2014), Richardson &amp; Perrin (1992), Saetnan &amp; Skarpe (2006), Schneider &amp; Jorge (2007), 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 203, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6600357