Steatomys krebsii Peters 1852

Steatomys krebsii Peters 1852, Reise nach Mossambique, Saugethiere: 165.

Type Locality: South Africa, Kaffraria.

Vernacular Names: Kreb's African Fat Mouse.

Synonyms: Steatomys angolensis Hill and Carter 1937; Steatomys bensoni Ansell 1958; Steatomys bradleyi Hill and Carter 1937; Steatomys chiversi Roberts 1931; Steatomys mariae Ansell 1958; Steatomys orangiae Roberts 1929; Steatomys pentonyx (Sclater 1899); Steatomys tongensis Roberts 1931; Steatomys transvaalensis Roberts 1929 .

Distribution: Patchy distribution in Southern African Subregion—C and SW Angola (Crawford-Cabral, 1998), NE Namibia (Caprivi Strip and vicinity; specimens in USNM), N Botswana (Smithers, 1971), W Zambia (Ansell, 1978), and South Africa (Western, Eastern and Northern Cape Provs., E Free State, Northwest Prov., and NW KwaZulu-Natal).

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: A distinctive small-bodied species with a long tail and small hind feet; reviewed by Coetzee (1977 a), Meester et al. (1986), and Ansell (1978). The holotypes of angolensis and bradleyi (in AMNH) are unproblematic examples of S. krebsii . Populations in KwaZulu-Natal Prov., E South Africa, reviewed by Taylor (1998), who transferred tongensis from S. parvus to S. krebsii . De Graaff (1997 hh) mapped the spotty distribution but suspected that it reflected lack of focused collection.