Lophuromys (Kivumys) woosnami Thomas 1906

Lophuromys (Kivumys) woosnami Thomas 1906, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 7, 18: 146.

Type Locality: Uganda, Ruwenzori East, Mubuku Valley, 6000 ft (1830 m).

Vernacular Names: Woosnam's Brush-furred Rat.

Synonyms: Lophuromys (Kivumys) prittiei Thomas 1911 .

Distribution: E Dem. Rep. Congo, W Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; a montane Western Rift endemic.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: Subgenus Kivumys . The impressive genetic differences between this species and L. flavopunctatus prompted W. Verheyen et al. (1986) to suggest that the two belong in at least separate subgenera, reflecting Dieterlen's (1976 b) earlier conclusion based on morphology. Later, Dieterlen (1987) proposed the subgenus Kivumys for the species. Chromosomal data for sample from Burundi reported by Maddalena et al. (1989). Corti et al. (2000) used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to study cranial growth patterns, size, and shape in samples representing L. aquilus (reported as flavopunctatus), L. sikapusi, and L. woosnami . Growth patterns were parallel among the species, no significant sexual dimorphism in shape was discovered, and the primary shape difference set L. aquilus and L. sikapusi apart from L. woosnami, reflecting the chromosomal data and Dieterlen’s subgeneric partitioning. Altitudinal distribution on Ugandan slopes of Ruwenzori Mtns reviewed by Kerbis Peterhans et al. (1998) in context of surveying small mammal distributions in those highlands.