Lophuromys rahmi, Verheyen, 1964
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6887260 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6868123 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E30E275-3429-FF98-E19F-24457F0982F1 |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Lophuromys rahmi |
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Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat
French
: Rat-hérissé de Rahm / German: Rahm-Birstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de Rahm
Taxonomy. Lophuromys rahmi W. N. Verheyen, 1964 View in CoL ,
Bogamanda near Lemera, Kivu, DR Congo.
Lophuromys rahmi was described based on striking morphological differences com- pared with other known species of Lophuromys . Its affinities with either L. sikapusi species group or L. flavopunctatus species group have not been clarified. Monotypic.
Distribution. Endemic to the Albertine Rift around Lake Kivu in E DR Congo and Rwanda. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head—body 95-116 mm, tail 48-56 mm, ear 10-15 mm, hindfoot 13-18 mm; weight 30-45 g. Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat and the Western Brush-furred Rat (L. stkapusi) have unspeckled dark-reddish brown dorsum and orange-red belly. Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat is small (especially hindfeet and head-bodylength) compared with the Buff-spotted Brush-furred Rat ( L. flavopunctatus ) and the Western Brush-furred Rat. Tail of Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat is short (49-5-52-6% of headbody length). Skull is rather small, with large interorbital constriction and short rostrum.
Habitat. Mountain forests of the Albertine Rift around Kivu Lake at elevationsof 1900-2500 m. In Kahuzi-Biéga National Park (DR Congo), Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat was trapped in primary and secondary mountain forest with grass undercover and near swamps and small streams.
Food and Feeding. Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat is omnivorous; insects larvae, caterpillars, beetles, ants, and some seeds are important dietary items.
Breeding. Female Rahm’s Brush-furred Rats can have two embryos and be pregnant in February—July.
Activity patterns. Rahm’s Brush-furred Ratis terrestrial and nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat forages on the ground in Jeaf litter or among grass.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Rahm’s Brush-furred Rat faces habitat destruction from logging, burning, cultivation, and pasture development.
Bibliography. Dieterlen (1976b), Kaleme et al. (2007), Kasangaki et al. (2003), Rahm (1967), Van der Straeten & Verheyen (1983), Verheyen (1964), Verschuren et al. (1983).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
