49.

Mount Kahuzi African Climbing Mouse

Dendromus kahuziensis

French: Dendromus du Kahuzi / German: Kahuzi-Klettermaus / Spanish: Raton trepadorafricano de Kahuzi

Other common names: Kahuzi African Climbing Mouse

Taxonomy. Dendromus kahuziensis Dieterlen, 1969,

Mount Kahuzi, Kivu, DR Congo.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Only known from Mt Kahuz1, E DR Congo.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 77-82 mm, tail 120-132 mm, ear 14-15 mm, hindfoot 21-22 mm; weight 10-12 g. The Mount Kahuzi African Climbing Mouse is small, with very long prehensile tail. Tail is bicolored, darker above and paler below. Furis long, soft, and dark-brown dorsally and grayish ventrally. Base of each hair is dark gray. Broad black line runs mid-dorsally from neck to base oftail. Ears are relatively large and rounded. Limbs are adapted for climbing. Second to fourth digits of forelimbs have elongated claws, and first and fifth digits are greatly reduced. Hindlimb has second to fourth digits elongated,fifth digit long and opposable with a claw, and first digit greatly reduced.

Habitat. Only known from montane forest with bamboo at elevations of ¢.2100 m.

Food and Feeding. Stomach contents of a single Mount Kahuzi African Climbing Mouse contained plant material.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Mount Kahuzi African Climbing Mouse is known from a single site in protected Kahuzi-Biéga National Park, DR Congo; this region has experienced political conflict and associated habitat degradation.

Bibliography. Dieterlen (1969b, 1976¢, 2013c), Kaleme et al. (2007), Monadjem et al. (2015).