Graphiurus kelleni
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Gliridae
Graphiurus
Graphiurus kelleni

description: 7.
Kellen’s African Dormouse
Graphiurus kelleni
French: Loir de Kellen / German: Kellen-Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Kellen
Other common names: Kellen's Dormouse
Taxonomy. Eliomys kelleni Reuvens, 1890),
“Damara-land,” Mossamedes District, south-western Angola. Modified by C. L. Reuvens to “Damara-land” in “Stud West Afrika” (= Namibia). Corrected by J. E. Hill and T. D. Carter in 1941 to “Damaraland” in south-western Angola.
Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus. In 1993, M. E. Holden recognized three populations of small savanna African dormice as distinct species (under G. kelleni, G. parvus, and G. olga). As noted by Holden in 2013, preliminary morphometric analyses of cranial measurements that included type specimens did not support recognition of separate species within this size grade. This is likely due to the predominantly small sample sizes from each locality, poor condition of many specimens, and inadequate sampling over the vast distribution of this species. Future systematic revisions integrating molecular data will most probably reveal that at least three separate species are contained in what is now recognized as G. kelleni. In 1985, D. A. Schlitter and colleagues discussed taxonomic problems and historical treatment of this species, and pointed out that G. kelleni is the oldest available scientific name. A handful of specimens from north-eastern and eastern South Africa that are currently identified as G. microtis and G. murinus in museum collections are smaller than either of those species in external and cranial measurements and may represent G. kelleni, but they have not beenincluded in analyses that allow confident identification. In 2013, Holden indicated that this species occurs in Sudan, but those specimens have been reexamined and morphologically resemble G. microtis. Monotypic.
Distribution. Sub-Saharan Africa, patchily in Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea Bissau E to SE Sudan, South Sudan and Somaliland (N Somalia), as far S as SW Zimbabwe W to C & S Angola; it may occur in South Africa.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 75-92 mm, tail 54-81 mm, ear 14-16 mm, hindfoot 15-3-16-5 mm. No weight or sexual dimorphism reported. Body size of Kellen’s African Dormouse is smaller than other savanna species with which it is sympatric in many localities. Dorsal pelage varies in color from pale to medium brown, beige, or gray, sometimes with golden or reddish hue. Some individuals exhibit darkening toward midline due to coalescence of guard hairs. Ventral pelage is predominantly white or cream; gray bases of ventral hairs are slightly to moderately visible. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage, sometimes paler toward muzzle. Cheeks are cream or white, forming part of pale lateral stripe that extends from cheeks to shoulders. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Eyes are large, and eye mask is conspicuous; in most individuals, eyes are encircled by thick dark strips of fur extending from eyes to muzzle; in some individuals, eye mask is less evident. Ears are brown and range from medium to large; cream or white post-auricular patches are usually present. Hindfeet are white or white, with dark metatarsal streak, c.19% of head-body length. Tail is medium in length, ¢.82% of head-body length. Dorsaltail color usually matches that of dorsal pelage, often laterally fringed with white hairs. Tail usually has faint or conspicuous white tip and paler ventral color. Tail appears distichous or splayed in some populations (particularly in Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) because hairs project laterally. Skull is short, moderately broad, often with greatly inflated bullae; some crania are gracile, others more robust. Greatest length of skull is 23-1-24-5 mm, interorbital breadth is 4 mm, zygomatic breadth is 12:9-14-1 mm, and upper tooth row length is 2-8-3 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are based on specimens from Zambezi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Chromosome numberis 2n = 70. Karyotypes of two individualslisted as Graphiurus sp. by N. Corti and colleagues in 2005 may apply to this species complex. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + I abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).
Habitat. Woodland savanna,riverine woodland, rocky areas including caves, disturbed areas, disturbed secondary forest, and human dwellings at elevations from sea level up to elevations of at least 1524 m. Kellen’s African Dormice inhabit parts of Sahel Savanna, Sudan Savanna, Guinea Savanna, Somalia-Masai Bushland, and Zambezian Woodland Biotic Zones. Specimens have been captured in or near doum palms (Hyphaene thebaica, Arecaceae) and some pea family trees such as thorn (Acacia, Fabaceae) and miombo (Brachystegia, Fabaceae). In East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, one individual was captured in secondary forest with sparse understory ¢.170 m from forest edge on a buttress of a large canopy tree, and another individual was collected on a 15cm diameter vine running from ground to canopy. When evaluating the variety of microhabitats tolerated by Kellen’s African Dormice,it is important to consider that more than one valid species is likely contained within this taxon.
Food and Feeding. Kellen’s African Dormice are probably omnivorous. In Somalia, one individual was caught in a trap baited with fresh meat; in Malawi, two young individuals were captured with fresh banana.
Breeding. Litter sizes are 2-4 young. Young individuals and lactating females have been found in many months of the year throughout the distribution; however, not enough data are available to allow any conclusions about reproductive seasonality or strategy. Scattered information from specimen labels includes locality, breeding condition, and month of capture as follows: in Senegal, one subadult in July; in Ivory Coast, one subadult in August; in Benin, several subadults in April; in Kenya, pregnant females in November-December, and subadults in November and April; in Zimbabwe, lactating females in December and subadults in April; in NW Zambia, lactating females in September—October and subadults in January; and in Angola, subadults in October. In north-eastern Tanzania, one male was captured in July with abdominal testes.
Activity patterns. Kellen’s African Dormice are thought to be nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kellen’s African Dormice are predominantly arboreal, partly terrestrial, and probably solitary. They frequently nest in savanna tree cavities or crevices under loose bark. Two nest holes were 0-5 m and 1 m aboveground according to specimen labels; one nest was constructed of leaves and grass. Several individuals were captured in nests of weaver birds (Ploceidae), thorn trees (Acacia), and abandoned mud swallow’s nests—one located on the roof of a cave and another under an overhang of large rocks. It has been reported that Kellen’s African Dormice sometimes use abandoned spider (Stegodyphys sp., Eresidae) nests and beehives. A few individuals have been caught in woodpiles, roofs of African huts, and pantries. Males are apparently solitary, although two adult pregnant females were captured in the same abandoned swallow’s nest with one male according to specimen labels. Females are likely usually solitary; lactating females are often captured with young. Few estimates of abundance are available, but in Ivory Coast, Kellen’s African Dormice comprised 1-7% of muroid and gliroid rodents captured in Sudanian savanna and 3-5% of muroid and gliroid rodents captured in Guinean savanna. It is uncommon at most localities, although large series from certain localities such as central Angola and north-western Zambia suggest that it may be common in certain parts ofits distribution. There are no estimates of density. Captive Kellen’s African Dormice have a vocal repertoire of at least 4-6 different sound types, including twitters, chirps, “kecker/shrieks,” and click-like noises. Twitters, recorded from males and females, seem to be associated with non-aggressive behavior; both males and females emit kecker/ shrieks that appear to occur during agonistic interactions; these sounds may function as aggressive, defensive, or threatening calls. Frequency components of vocalizations ranged from c.1 kHz to well into the ultrasonic range above 20 kHz.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Kellen’s African Dormouse has a wide distribution and presumably a large population size, and it occursin several protected regions. Future systematic revisions will likely reveal that it is a complex of several species, and within the complex, certain populations may be at risk or nearly extirpated.
Bibliography. Ansell (1978, 1989), Ansell & Dowsett (1988), Corti et al. (2005), Dobigny et al. (2002), Gautun et al. (1991), Grubb et al. (1998), Happold & Lock (2013), Hill (1941), Hill & Carter (1941), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Hollister (1919), Hutterer & Peters (2001), Lawrence & Loveridge (1953), Roberts (1951), Schlitter & Grubb (2015), Schlitter et al. (1985), Stanley & Goodman (2011), Stanley, Goodman et al. (2000), Stanley, Rogers et al. (2005).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Gliridae, pp. 838-889 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 843, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339