Lemniscomys macculus
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
Muridae
Lemniscomys
Lemniscomys macculus
Lemniscomys griselda

description: 476. Buffoon Striped Grass Mouse <i>Lemniscomys macculus</i> <b>French:</b> Rat-rayé d'Ouganda / <b>German:</b> Bajazzo-Streifengrasmaus / <b>Spanish:</b> Raton de hierba listado bufén <b>Other common names:</b> Buffoon Lemniscomys <b>Taxonomy.</b> Arvicanthis macculus Thomas &amp; Wroughton, 1910, Mokia, SE Rwenzori, Uganda. L. macculus, formerly included in L. striatus, was elevated to species rank by E. Van der Straeten and W. N. Verheyen in 1979. It is genetically close to (cytochrome-b divergence 3:3%) and shares chromosomal and morphological characters with L. bellieri, and the two may be conspecific. Monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> E Africa including NE DR Congo, S South Sudan, Uganda, SW Ethiopia, W Kenya, extreme NW Tanzania, and N Rwanda. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 81-118 mm, tail 70-150 mm, ear 10-20 mm, hindfoot 20-26 mm; weight 31-41 g. The Buffoon Striped Grass Mouse is the second smallest grass mouse. Fur is very dark brown above, contrasting with pure white below, with inconspicuous black mid-dorsalstripe; each flank has eight lateral stripes, upper four broken into pale buffy spots. Tail is long (c.110-120% of head-body length), brownish-black above, paler below. Forefeet and hindfeet are whitish or whitish yellow. Females have 2+2 = 4 pairs of nipples. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 56, FN = 60. <b>Habitat.</b> Drier open grassland savanna, including riverbeds and rocky areas; not found in cultivated areas. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> Stomach contents comprised only grasses. <b>Breeding.</b> Pregnancies recorded in wet season in South Sudan. Females have 5-7 embryos. <b>Activity patterns.</b> Buffoon Striped Grass Mice are terrestrial and partly diurnal. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> Nests are made on the ground, in burrows or toad holes. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. <b>Bibliography.</b> Bulatova et al. (2002), Castiglia et al. (2002), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Van der Straeten &amp; Verheyen (1979a), Verheyen &amp; Verschuren (1966). 477. Griselda Striped Grass Mouse <i>Lemniscomys griselda</i> <b>French:</b> Rat-rayé d’/Angola / <b>German:</b> Griselda-Streifengrasmaus / <b>Spanish:</b> Raton de hierba listado de Griselda <b>Other common names:</b> Griselda Lemniscomys <b>Taxonomy.</b> Arvicanthis dorsalis griselda Thomas, 1904, “Muene Coshi, Jinga Country [Angola].” Lemniscomys griselda previously included L. rosalia, which was separated on basis of morphometrics; the two taxa overlap, however, in morphometric characters and may be conspecific. Critical revision, employing molecular and chromosomal data (currently lacking), is urgently required. Monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Restricted to Angola and neighboring parts of DR Congo and NW Zambia. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 116-138 mm, tail 118-149 mm, hindfoot 28-30 mm. No weight information is available. Fur of the Griselda Striped Grass Mouse is coarse gray brown above, contrasting with pure white below, with black mid-dorsalstripe extending from neck to base of tail. Tail is long (100% of head-body length), dark, and sparsely haired. Ears medium-sized. Yellowish eye-ring is present. Forefeet have first and fifth digits greatly reduced, and hindfeetfirst and fifth digits also are reduced. <b>Habitat.</b> Little is known, but presumed to occupy miombo (Brachystegia, Fabaceae) woodlands that predominate on Angolan Plateau. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> No information. <b>Breeding.</b> No information. <b>Activity patterns.</b> No information. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> No information. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. <b>Bibliography.</b> Ansell (1978), Crawford-Cabral (1998), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser &amp; Carleton (2005), Van der Straeten (1980a). 477. Griselda Striped Grass Mouse <i>Lemniscomys griselda</i> <b>French:</b> Rat-rayé d’/Angola / <b>German:</b> Griselda-Streifengrasmaus / <b>Spanish:</b> Raton de hierba listado de Griselda <b>Other common names:</b> Griselda Lemniscomys <b>Taxonomy.</b> Arvicanthis dorsalis griselda Thomas, 1904, “Muene Coshi, Jinga Country [Angola].” Lemniscomys griselda previously included L. rosalia, which was separated on basis of morphometrics; the two taxa overlap, however, in morphometric characters and may be conspecific. Critical revision, employing molecular and chromosomal data (currently lacking), is urgently required. Monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Restricted to Angola and neighboring parts of DR Congo and NW Zambia. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 116-138 mm, tail 118-149 mm, hindfoot 28-30 mm. No weight information is available. Fur of the Griselda Striped Grass Mouse is coarse gray brown above, contrasting with pure white below, with black mid-dorsalstripe extending from neck to base of tail. Tail is long (100% of head-body length), dark, and sparsely haired. Ears medium-sized. Yellowish eye-ring is present. Forefeet have first and fifth digits greatly reduced, and hindfeetfirst and fifth digits also are reduced. <b>Habitat.</b> Little is known, but presumed to occupy miombo (Brachystegia, Fabaceae) woodlands that predominate on Angolan Plateau. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> No information. <b>Breeding.</b> No information. <b>Activity patterns.</b> No information. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> No information. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. <b>Bibliography.</b> Ansell (1978), Crawford-Cabral (1998), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser &amp; Carleton (2005), Van der Straeten (1980a).
description: Published as part of <i>Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier &amp; Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Muridae, pp. 536-884 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on pages 770-771