Mastomys shortridgeri

604.

Shortridge’s Multimammate Mouse

Mastomys shortridgeri

French: Mastomys de Shortridge / German: Shortrridge-Vielzitzenmaus / Spanish: Raton multimamas de Shortridge

Other common names: Shortridge’s Mastomys

Taxonomy. Myomys shortridgei St. Leger, 1933, Okavango-Omatako junction, Grootfontein District, northern Namibia.

Mastomys shortridger is distinguished from M. natalensis based on chromosomal grounds and cytochrome-b sequences, but it issimilar to M. coucha based on chromosomal and molecular grounds. Monotypic.

Distribution. Scattered localities in S & E Angola and along Okavango River in Caprivi Strip of Namibia and extreme NW

Botswana.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 103-137 mm, tail 86-118 mm, ear 17-20 mm, hindfoot 23-26 mm; weight 35-74 g. Fur of Shortridge’s Multimammate Mouse is darkish gray above and gray below. Tail is long (c.88% of head-body length), dark above and below. Upper surfaces offeet are white. Females may have eight or ten pairs of nipples (contrast ing descriptionsin the literature). Chromosomal complement is 2n = 36 and FN = 52-56.

Habitat. Distinctly swampy marshes and riverbanks.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Shortridge’s Multimammate Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Eiseb (2015), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Shortridge (1934a, 1934b).