442.

Fox’s Shaggy Rat

Dasymys foxi

French: Dasymys de Fox / German: Fox-\ Wollhaarratte / Spanish: Rata peluda de Fox

Other common names: Fox's Dasymys, Fox's Marsh Rat, Fox's Water Rat

Taxonomy. Dasymys foxi: Thomas, 1912,

“Panyam, on the plateau of the same name, elevation 4000’ [= 1220 m],” N Nigeria.

Dasymysfoxi, formerly included in D. incomtus, was elevated to full species by M. D. Carleton and C. Martinez in 1991. Monotypic.

Distribution. C & NE Nigeria.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 152 mm, tail 134 mm, ear 21 mm, hindfoot 33 mm; weight 117 g. Like its congeners, Fox’s Shaggy Rat has fur that is soft, shaggy, longhaired, and reddish-brown. Tail is shortish (88% of head-body length).

Habitat. Swampy areas in wetlands.

Food and Feeding. Fox’s Shaggy Rat is predominantly herbivorous. Its diet is presumably similar to that described for the African Shaggy Rat ( D. incomtus), including aquatic and semi-aquatic plants and insects.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Fox’s Shaggy Rats are presumably crepuscular and diurnal, like other members of genus.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Carleton & Martinez (1991), Monadjem et al. (2015), Mullin, Pillay & Taylor (2004), Mullin, Taylor & Pillay (2004).