Walter Verheyen's mouse
Walter Verheyen's mouse (Hylomyscus walterverheyeni) is a species of rodent of the genus Hylomyscus that is found in the Central African lowland and mountain forests.[1]
| Walter Verheyen's mouse | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Hylomyscus |
| Species: | H. walterverheyeni |
| Binomial name | |
| Hylomyscus walterverheyeni (Nicolas, Wendelen, Barriere, Dudu & Colyn, 2008) | |
Description
The species was first described in 2008 and was named after Walter Verheyen, who was the first to study the genus Hylomyscus.[2]
Hylomyscus walterverheyeni has soft, fine fur which is reddish brown on its back and whitish gray on its underside. Juveniles are blackish gray. The mean head-body length is 86 mm and the mean tail length is 129 mm. It weighs between 11 and 29 g (mean 18 g).[2]
The species morphology is very similar to related species Hylomyscus stella. It can be distinguished by DNA analysis, and cranial and dental morphometrics.[1]
Distribution
The species is found in forests up to 2000 m is the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, and south-east and western Cameroon.[1]
Diet
Their diet consists of insects, fruits, and seeds. The availability of food depends on the location and time of year.[2]
References
- Missoup, A.D.; Nicolas, V.; Wendelen, W.; Bilong, C.F.B.; Cruaud, C.; Denys, C. (2009). "First record of Hylomyscus walterverheyeni (Rodentia: Muridae) on the north-western side of the Sanaga River (western Cameroon)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 2044: 46–60. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2044.1.3. ISSN 1175-5326.
- Nicolas V., Wendelen; W., Barriere; P., Dudu, A. & Colyn, M. (2008). "Morphometric variation in Allen's wood mouse and H. stella (Rodentia: Muridae), and description of a new species". Journal of Mammalogy. 89 (1): 222–231. doi:10.1644/06-mamm-a-286.1.
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