Hylomyscus kaimosae

593.

Tanzanian Wood Mouse

Hylomyscus kaimosae

French: Hylomysque de Kaimosi / German: Tansania-Afrikawaldmaus / Spanish: Raton de bosque de Tanzania

Other common names: East African Wood Mouse, East African Hylomyscus, Kakamega Hylomyscus, Kakamega Wood Mouse, Tanzanian Hylomyscus

Taxonomy. Epimys alleni kaimosae Heller, 1912,

Kakamega, Kenya.

Hylomyscus kaimosae was previously considered a synonym of H. stella. Status and distribution are poorly defined. Specimens from Tanzania are genetically distinct from H.stella and closest to H. parvus but are not necessarily conspecific with the topotypic Kakamega Forest specimens. Monotypic.

Distribution. Uncertain but believed to have scattered distribution in E Africa; some authorities confine range to Imoteng Mts in South Sudan, Kakamega Forest in Kenya, and Mbete and Mufindi in Tanzania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 86 mm, tail 135 mm, ear 16 mm, hindfoot 17-5 mm (measurements based on holotype). No specific data are available for body weight. Fur of the Tanzanian Wood Mouse is fine and soft, rufous brown on dorsum and flanks and whitish gray or silvery gray on venter, nose, upperlips, chin, and lower cheeks. Dorsal and ventral colors are sharply delineated. Tail is very long (c.157% of head-body length), ringed with small scales and appearing naked but with veryshort bristles. Fifth digit on hindfoot is opposable and almost as long as second to fourth digits. Females have four pairs of nipples.

Habitat. Forests.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Tanzanian Wood Mice are presumably arboreal and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Monadjem et al. (2015), Nicolas, Olayemi et al. (2010), Nicolas, Quérouil et al. (2006).