Graphiurus walterverheyeni Holden & Levine 2009
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 walterverheyeni

description: 3.
Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse
Graphiurus walterverheyeni
French: Loir de Verheyen / German: Verheyen-Bilch / Spanish: Lirén de Walter Verheyen
Taxonomy. Graphiurus walterverheyeni Holden & Levine, 2009,
River Lukenie (Meridian 22-30 E), 500 meters, western DR Congo.
M. E. Holden and R. S. Levine in 2009 hypothesized that based on cranial morphology, G. walterverheyeni appears most closely related to G. crassicaudatus, andis thus tentatively included here under subgenus Clauviglis; they cautioned, however, that a close relationship with G. lorraineus cannot be ruled out. Further systematic study that ideally includes molecular sampling ofthe holotype and the one additional referred specimen is needed to elucidate the evolutionary relationships among these three forest-dwelling dormice, and among all species of Graphiurus. Monotypic.
Distribution. C DR Congo, known only from the Lukenie River and Wafania, near the left bank ofthe Luilaka River. Distributional limits ofthis species are not known.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 72 mm, tail 64 mm, ear 11-115 mm, hindfoot 14-15 mm; all measurements from the type specimen. No specific data are available for body weight. Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouseis one ofthe smallest-bodied species in the genus. No sexual dimorphism is reported. Dorsal pelage is dull rufous brown, with no conspicuous darkening toward midline. The type specimen on which pelage description is based may have been molting at time ofcapture, and typical dorsal pelage color may be similar to brighter rufous brown of by Thick-tailed African Dormice. Dorsal pelage is soft-textured and short; rump hairs are 4 mm, and guard hairs are up to 6-7 mm. Ventral pelageis dark gray, washed with buff. Sides of body appear paler, but dorsal pelage is not clearly delineated from ventral pelage. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage. Eyes are large and encircled by narrow dark eye-rings; eye mask is not conspicuous. Cheeks are paler than dorsal pelage. Ears are brown, short, and rounded; post-auricular patches are not present. Hindfeet are white, with dark metatarsal streak, c.20%of head—body length. Tail is moderately long, ¢.89%of head-body length, based only on measurement ofthe paratype, because part ofthe type specimen’s tail was lost via caudal autotomy prior to capture. Dorsal tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, and ventral tail color darker; white hairs are scattered conspicuously throughout tail, and on the holotype truncatedtail is conspicuously tipped in white, as is commonfortails that havesustained an injury. Tail on the paratype is intact and does not have whitetail tip. Tail hairs are shorter at base oftail and longer toward tail tip. Skull is short and broad, with markedly short rostrum, broad interorbit, andrelatively inflated auditory bullae. Greatest length ofskull is 22-5-22-9 mm, zygomatic breadthis 14-2—-14-5 mm, and uppertooth row length is 2:8-3-1 mm. Chromosome number and nipple count is not known. External and cranial measurements are from holotype and paratype specimens from central DR Congo.
Habitat. There is no specific habitat information associated with the two known specimens, but localities are situated within seasonally inundated riverine and terra firma Central Congolian lowland rainforests in the South Central forest region; this region is recognized as a major center of mammalian endemism. The South Central forest major center of endemismis further divided into minor centers of endemism, one of which is the Salonga Center of Endemism circumscribed by the Congo River in the west, the Lomami River in the east, and the Kasai River to the south: collection sites of Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse occur within this area. The Salonga Center of Endemism includes the Salonga-LLukenie-Sankuru Forest Landscapeprioritizedfor conservation by the Congo Basin Forest Partnership in 2005. Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse may be endemic to the Salonga Center of Endemism within the South Central forest region.
Food and Feeding. There is no information availablefor this species.
Breeding. Thereis no information availablefor this species.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information availableforthis species, but Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouseis probably nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information availableforthis species, but Walter Verheyen'’s African Dormouseis probably arboreal and solitary.
Status and Conservation. Not yet assessed on The IUCN Red List. Data Deficient is probably most appropriate for Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse because there is no information on geographical limits, natural history, or abundance. Salonga National Park, classified as a World Heritage Site, occurs in the South Central forest region/ Salonga-Lukenie-Sankuru Forest Landscape. It is thought to be the second largest tropical forest park in the world but faces heavy illegal hunting pressure. Larger Endangered and Near Threatened mammals on The IUCN Red List that occur within this region such as African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), Bonobo (Pan paniscus), and Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) attract illegal poachers and large-scale hunting activities that locally negatively impact and modify habitat; logging and subsistence agriculture have also modifiedforest in certain areas.
Bibliography. Colyn (1991), Colyn et al. (1991), CBFP (2005), Dieterlen (2008), Groves (2005), Grubb (2001), Happold (1996), Hart et al. (2008), Holden & Levine (2009), Musser & Carleton (2005), Van der Straeten & Dudu (1990), Van der Straeten & Peterhans (1999), Van der Straeten et al. (2003), Verheyen et al. (1996).
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 841, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339