45.

Naked-tailed Brush-furred Rat

Lophuromys nudicaudus

French: Rat-hérissé a queue nue / German: Nacktschwanz-Birstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de cola desnuda

Other common names: Fire-bellied Brush-furred Rat

Taxonomy. Lophuromys nudicaudus Heller, 1911,

Efulen, Bula country, Cameroon.

Lophuromys nudicaudus was initially described as a subspecies of L. sikapusi and was elevated to species rank due to its peculiar skull and teeth characteristics, later confirmed on additional morphometric grounds. Lophuromys is in the sikapusi species complex. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

L. n. nudicaudus Heller, 1911 — from Sanaga River in Cameroon E to the Ubangui River in Central African Republic and S to SW Republic of the Congo, with an isolated record from the right bank of the Congo River

.

L. n. tullbergi Matschie, 1911 — SE Nigeria and Cameroon, between Cross and Sanaga rivers, and Bioko I.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 89-119 mm, tail 47-74 mm, ear 10-18 mm, hindfoot 16-21 mm; weight 29-52 g. The Naked-tailed Brush-furred Rat is small relative to other species of Lophuromys. Dorsum is unspeckled dark brown, with stiff harsh hairs, and venter is bright rufous to yellow-red. Feet are short, and claws are long. Tail is short (c.58% of head-body length) and not completely naked, harboring black bristles. Skull and rostrum are narrow. Diploid numberis 2n = 56.

Habitat. [.owland rainforests and rare in secondary environments.

Food and Feeding. Stomach contents of two Naked-tailed Brush-furred Rats were 80-100% insects.

Breeding. Female Naked-tailed Brush-furred Rats have three pairs of nipples and 2-5 embryos.

Activity patterns. The Naked-tailed Brush-furred Ratis terrestrial and diurnal

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Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Naked-tailed Brush-furred Rat 1s probably solitary.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List. No major conservation threats have been identified for the Naked-tailed Brush-furred Rat.

Bibliography. Dieterlen (1976b, 1979, 2013g), Malcolm & Ray (2000), Rosevear (1969), Verheyen & Van der Straeten (1980), Verheyen et al. (1996).