50.

Montane African Climbing Mouse

Dendromus insignis

French: Dendromus des montagnes / German: Gebirgsklettermaus / Spanish: Ratén trepador africano de montana

Other common names: Remarkable Climbing Mouse

Dendromys insignis Thomas, 1903,

“ Nandi, British East Africa [= Kenya].”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Montane areas of E Africa, in East DR Congo, W Uganda, Rwanda, S Kenya, and Eastern Arc Mts of Tanzania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 78- 92 mm, tail 82-111 mm, ear 12-18 mm, hindfoot 20-23 mm; weight 12-17 g. The Montane African Climbing Mouse is small but large for a species of Dendromus. Its tail is very long and Eg Tail is bicolored, darker above and paler below. Fur is long, soft, and brown or reddish brown dorsally, with considerable variation in color, and paler ventrally. Base of each hair is dark gray, giving pelage a gray wash. Obvious 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. Montane grasslands, moist grasslands, and herbaceous vegetation above elevations of 1500 m and moorlands at 3000-4700 m.

Food and Feeding. The Montane African Climbing Mouse mostly eats grass seeds and insects.

Breeding. The Montane African Climbing Mouse builds small grass nests or uses small bird nests. Littersizes are 1-7 young, typically four young.

Activity patterns. The Montane African Climbing Mouse is nocturnal with peak in activity between 22:00 h and 02:00 h. It isterrestrial but also an agile climber, climbing grass stalks using its prehensile tail and opposable fifth digits on hindfeet.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Montane African Climbing Mouse is typically rare, even in prime habitat where it comprises less than 10% of all small mammals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. It forms a small part of diets of Cape eagle-owls (Bubo capensis) and Leopards (Panthera pardus) in the alpine zone of Mount Kenya, Kenya.

Bibliography. Clausnitzer & Kityo (2001), Delany (1975), Dieterlen (1971, 2013b), Grimshaw et al. (1995), Kaleme et al. (2007), Kerbis Peterhans et al. (1998), Monadjem et al. (2015), Rodel, Scholze & Kock (2002), Rodel, Scholze & Paulsch (2004).