43.

Nikolaus’s African Climbing Mouse

Megadendromus nikolausi

French: Dendromus des Bale / German: Riesenklettermaus / Spanish: Raton trepador africano de Nikolaus

Other common names: Bale Mouse, Giant Climbing Mouse, Nikolaus's Mouse

Taxonomy. Megadendromus nikolausi Dieterlen & Rupp, 1978,

Bale Mountains, Ethiopia.

Recent molecular analysis suggests that this species belongs in the genus Dendromus. This would render the genus Megadendromus a synonym of Dendromus. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to the Ethiopian highlands E of the Rift Valley (Bale and Arsi Mts).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 117- 129 mm,tail 92-106 mm, ear 23-26 mm, hindfoot 26-27 mm; weight 49-66 g. Nikolaus’s African Climbing Mouse is small, with a relatively short tail about the same length as the body. Fur is relatively long, soft and russet-brown dorsally and grayish brown ventrally. There is an obvious mid-dorsal stripe extending from neck to base oftail. Ears are relatively large and rounded. Limbs are adapted for climbing, but short tail suggests predominantly terrestrial lifestyle. Second to fourth digits of forelimbs have elongated claws, and first and fifth digits are greatly reduced or absent. Hindlimb has five functional digits.

Habitat. High-elevation montane forest and Erica arborea (Ericaceae) scrub forest at 3000-3800 m ofaltitude.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Nikolaus’s African Climbing Mouse is known from justfive specimens,collected at four localities in the Bale and Arsi mountains, Ethiopia.

Bibliography. Demeter & Topél (1982), Dieterlen & Rupp (1978), Lavrenchenko et al. (2017), Monadjem et al. (2015), Yalden (2013c).