609.

West African Soft-furred Mouse

Praomys rostratus

French: Praomys de Miller / German: Westafrika-Weichhaarratte / Spanish: Raton de pelaje suave de Africa occidental

Other common names: Forest Soft-furred Mouse, West African Praomys

Taxonomy. Mus tullbergi rostratus G. S. Miller, 1900, Mount Coffee, Liberia.

Praomys rostratus is in the P. tullbergi species group and distinguished based on molecular and partially morphometric grounds from P. tullbergi with which it co-occurs in West Africa. Monotypic.

Distribution. Widespread in tropical W Africa from Senegal (Basse Casamance) to Ivory Coast—-Ghana border.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 109-147 mm, tail 124-171 mm, ear 17-21 mm, hindfoot 24-31 mm; weight 31-73 g. Fur of the West African Soft-furred Mouse is reddish brown to yellowish brown (older individuals) or dark brown (younger) above and nearly white below in adults. Some males have white markings in front of penis. Tail is very long (115-125% of head-body length), dark brown above and below with irregular white spots. Hindfeet and forefeet are white. Females have three pairs of nipples. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 34 and FN = 32.

Habitat. Rainforests, woodlands, and cultivated land at elevations up to 1300 m, possibly even higher.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Litters of West African Soft-furred Mice have 2-4 young. Activity patterns. The West African Soft-furred Mouse is nocturnal and terrestrial to partly arboreal; it can be found up to 2:5 m high in trees.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Akpatou et al. (2007), Gautun et al. (1986), Happold (2013a), Lim & van Coeverden de Groot (1997), Monadjem et al. (2015), Nicolas, Bryja et al. (2008), Tranier & Dosso (1979), Van der Straeten & Verheyen (1981).