Steatomys parvus, Rhoads, 1896

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Nesomyidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 156-203 : 203

65.

Tiny Fat Mouse

Steatomys parvus

French: Petit Rat-adipeux / German: Zwergfettmaus / Spanish: Raton grueso diminuto

Other common names: Tiny African Fat Mouse

Taxonomy. Steatomys parvus Rhoads, 1896 ,

“ Rusia , Lake Rudolf [= on the shore of Lake Turkana, Ethiopia], Africa.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Broadly distributed in at least two widely separated populations: one in E Africa (E Uganda, extreme SW Ethiopia, W & S Kenya, and N & W Tanzania), the other in S Africa (S Angola, NE Namibia, N Botswana, W Zambia, and extreme W Zimbabwe); isolated population in Jebel Marra, W Sudan.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 55-83 mm, tail 34-51 mm, ear 11-15 mm, hindfoot 12-16 mm; weight 8-15 g. The Tiny Fat Mouse is very small—the smallest species of Steatomys . Tail is short and sparsely haired, white above and below. Furis soft and pale orange-brown dorsally, clearly demarcated from pure white or off-white belly. Chin, throat, and upper chest are white. Ears are relatively large and rounded. Limbs are white, with four digits on forefoot and five digits on hindfoot. It has eight nipples.

Habitat. Arid savannas and woodlands, particularly those on sandy soils.

Food and Feeding. Poorly known, but the Tiny Fat Mouse is presumed to be granivorous.

Breeding. Poorly known. A single lactating Tiny Fat Mouse was captured at the end of the dry season in November in Botswana.

Activity patterns. Poorly known. The Tiny Fat Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial. It excavates a burrow in which food might be hoarded.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Byrom et al. (2015), Coetzee (1977), Monadjem (2013c), Monadjem et al. (2015), Smithers (1971), Stanley et al. (2007), Swanepoel & Schlitter (1978).

Figures

1. White-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys albicauda), 2. Hairy-tailed Tree Rat (Brachytarsomys villosus), 3. Sleek-furred Ground Rat (Gymnuromys robert), 4. Antsingy Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus antsingy), 5. Carleton’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus carletoni), 6. Daniel’s Tufted-tail Rat (Elurus daniels), 7. Ellerman’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus ellermani), 8. Grandidier’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus grandidieri), 9. Major's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus majori), 10. Lesser Tufted-taill Rat (Elurus minor), 11. Milne-Edwards’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus myoxinus), 12. White-tailed Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus penicillatus), 13. Petter’s Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus petteri), 14. Tanala Tufted-taill Rat (Elwurus tanala), 15. Webb's Tufted-tail Rat (Eliurus webbi), 16. Anjozorobe Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo antsahabensis), 17. Northern Naked-tail Forest Mouse (Voalavo gymnocaudus), 18. Bastard’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi), 19. Ankarafantsika Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys ingens), 20. Petter’s Big-footed Mouse (Macrotarsomys peter), 21. Koopman' ’ s Forest Mouse (Monticolomys koopmani), 22. Giant Jumping Rat (Hypogeomys antimena), 23. Small Short-tailed Rat (Brachywromys betsileoensis), 24. Large Short-tailed Rat (Brachyuromys ramirohitra), 25. Audebert’s Forest Rat (Nesomys audeberti), 26. Lamberton’s Forest Rat (Nesomys lambertoni), 27. Red Forest Rat (Nesomys rufus), 28. Delany’s Swamp Mouse (Delanymys brooksi), 29. African White-tailed Rat (Mystromys albicaudatus), 30. Shortridge’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus shortridger), 31. Short-eared Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus monticularis), 32. Barbour’s Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus barbouri), 33. Common Pygmy Rock Mouse (Petromyscus collinus)

Distribution. Broadly distributed in at least two widely separated populations: one in E Africa (E Uganda, extreme SW Ethiopia, W & S Kenya, and N & W Tanzania), the other in S Africa (S Angola, NE Namibia, N Botswana, W Zambia, and extreme W Zimbabwe); isolated population in Jebel Marra, W Sudan.