Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 74. (Budapest 1982)

Demeter, A. ; Topál, G.: Ethiopian mammals in the Hungarian Natural History Museum

Mastomys natalensis (A. SMITH, 1834) Specimens: Koka (2 çf + 2 Ç , S +S), Langano (3 çf +1 9, -S), Errer valley (1 sex?, 5 +S), Harar (1 $ , S+S; 1 sex?, A +S), Sodere* (5 çf + 3 $, S +S; 1 $ , .S), Urso valley* (1 sex?, S+S). - Measurements: HB 106.9 (76.8-128.0), T 110.1 (75.8-133.0), HF 23.9 (22.3-25.7), E 19.1 (17.6-21.7), W 42.8 (21-73), UTR 5.1 (4.8-5.35). Notes : Following VAN DER STRAETEN (1979), we prefer to place this species in a separate genus, Mastomys, which has traditionally been recognized as such in western and southern Africa, although recently eastern African material has usually been regarded as a subgenus of Praomys. DE­METER (1982) referred all the Awash specimens from owl pellets to Praomys because of uncertainty in allocating all specimens from the material apparently composite of Mastomys natalensis and Praomys fumatus. It remains to be seen whether the M. natalensis of this region really represents one species. It would be surprising if it did, since in western Africa (PETTER, 1977) and in southern Africa (GREEN 6 al., 1980) several closely allied sibling species with different chromosomal arrangements and haemoglobin patterns could be identified. The specimens were taken from dry medium-altitude loca­lities. At Langano, Mastomys were fairly well segregated spatially from Praomys fumatus. At So­dere, specimens were trapped in the riparian forest of the Awash river, being absent in the Acacia woodland away from the river. Stenocephalemys albocauda FRICK, 1914 Specimens: 11 km west of Dinshu (6 çf + 8 9 , S +S ; 1 9 » -S). - Measurements: HB 152.8 (126.4-167.0), T 143.8 (130.0-162.1), HF 33.1 (30.1-35.1), E 28.6 (25.5-31.4), W 125 (83­172). Notes : This species was found to be abundant on the alpine grassland and Alchemilla scrub plateau at the foot of Mt. Gaysay, west of Dinshu. This place is locally known as „Ait meda", mean­ing rat field in Amharic. Both short grass meadows and dense, 70-80 cm high scrubby vegetation were inhabited. Stenocephalemys griseicauda PETTER, 1972 Specimens : Dinshu (1 çf + 2 9, S + S). - Measurements: HB 143.6 (142.1­144.6), T 147.5 (146.0-148.7), HF 29.0 (28.7-29.3), E 25.8 (25.2-26.7), W 104 (102-106). Notes : This recently described species is much more widely distributed than the type species of the genus. Apart from the southern highlands it occurs in central Ethiopia at Mt. Wuchacha (GE­TACHEW, pers. comm.), Entoto (FARHANG-AZAD & SCHLITTER, 1978) and Ankober (RUPP, 1980) and in northern Ethiopia in the Simien (MÜLLER, 1976; RUPP, 1980). The above specimens were captured under Erica arborea bushes in a generally open Hagenia woodland near Dinshu. Lophuromys flavo­punctatus and Otomys typus used the same runways in which the specimens were trapped. Acomys cahirinus (DESMAREST, 1819) Specimens: Metahara (2 çf +3 9, S+S), Urso valley (2 cf, S+S; 1 sex?, A+S). - Measurements: HB 97.7 (87.3-103.6), T 91.4 (83.9-96.4), HF 17.7 (16.9-19.1), E 15.5 (13.7-17.9), W 40.6 (28-49). Notes : The Metahara specimens were trapped in dry Acacia savanna in runways which they shared with Arvicanthis, and in thick riparian forest along the Awash river. In the latter habitat, this was the only species captured. Arvicanthis abyssinicus (RÜPPELL, 1842) Specimens : "Baboon Gorge", near Mt. Termaber* (3 çf + 2 $, S+S; 1 (f .S). ­Measurements : HB 108.3 (67.1-147.0), T 85.6 (53.6-115.1), HF 24.6 (18.1-29.1), E 15.0 (10.3-18.0), W 59.4 (12-119). Notes: A large colony of these rats were found along the Addis Ababa — Dessie main road at the "Baboon Gorge". The habitat was overgrazed short alpine grassland with many boulders and stones. Entrances to burrows and runways were abundant and the rodents were evident everywhere. The specimens were taken by hand, including two very young ones which were captured from beneath boulders.

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