Dasymys montanus Thomas 1906

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Muridae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 1189-1531 : 1317

Dasymys montanus Thomas 1906

Dasymys montanus Thomas 1906 , Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 7, 18: 143.

Type Locality: Uganda, Ruwenzori East, Mubuku Valley, 12,500 ft ( 3810 m); 00°22’N, 30°00’E (W. Verheyen et al., 2003).

Vernacular Names: Ruwenzori Dasymys.

Distribution: Known only from Ruwenzori Mtns, Uganda, between 2600 and 3810 m ( Kerbis Peterhans et al., 1998); a montane Western Rift endemic.

Conservation: IUCN – Vulnerable.

Discussion: Usually included in D. incomtus ( Delany, 1975) , but distinguished from that species by its long, fine fur that is very dark over upperparts and dark gray washed with buff on underparts; very short tail; short rostrum; low, squat cranium; wide zygomatic breadth ( Thomas, 1906 a; specimens in BMNH examined by Musser). Dasymys montanus is replaced by D. incomtus at lower altitudes on the E slopes of the Ruwenzoris, and both are recorded from 2600 m, the lowest point for D. montanus and highest for D. incomtus ( Kerbis Peterhans et al., 1998) . Based on multivariate analyses of craniometric traits derived from holotypes, W. Verheyen et al. (2003) suggested that montanus and medius ( holotype from Ruwenzori Mtns at 1800 m) represented the same population and that both taxa were synonyms of D. incomtus . Our study of holotypes and other series, including the material reported by Kerbis Peterhans et al. (1998), indicates D. montanus to be a separate species from the lower-altitude D. incomtus ( medius ).