Lophuromys (Lophuromys) melanonyx F. Petter 1972

Lophuromys (Lophuromys) melanonyx F. Petter 1972, Mammalia, 36: 177.

Type Locality: Ethiopia, Bale Dist., Dinshu.

Vernacular Names: Black-clawed Brush-furred Rat.

Distribution: S and C Ethiopia, west of the Ethiopian Rift Valley (Dieterlen, 1987), and in the Bale Mtns, east of the Rift Valley, 3100-4050 m.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (nt).

Discussion: Subgenus Lophuromys, L. flavopunctatus species group (Lavrenchenko et al., 1998 b, 2000). Endemic to Afro-alpine moorland of Ethiopia, where it shares habitat with the other moorland specialists Stenocephalemys albocaudata, Arvicanthis blicki, Tachyoryctes macrocephalus, and Otomys typus (Demeter and Topal, 1982; Rupp, 1980; Yalden, 1988; Yalden and Largen, 1992; Yalden et al., 1976). Lower portion of L. melanonyx ’s range overlaps that of L. brevicauda (Lavrenchenko et al., 1998 b) . Statistical summary of external measurements for large series of L. melanonyx reported by Sillero-Zubiri (1995 a). Karyotype documented by Aniskin et al. (1997) and Corti et al. (1995). Habitat preferences, abundance, and biomass of this species along with others in the Bale Mtns and their relevance to the endangered Ethiopian wolf ( Canis simensis) documented by Sillero-Zubiri et al. (1995 c). See account of L. brevicaudus .