| Fiery spiny mouse | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Acomys |
| Species: | A. ignitus |
| Binomial name | |
| Acomys ignitus Dollman, 1910 | |
The fiery spiny mouse (Acomys ignitus) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae [2] found in Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and rocky areas. It may be found as a commensal [3] in human habitations.
While most spiny mice are small in size, the fiery spiny mouse (A. ignitus) is slightly larger, measuring at approximately 10 cm in length. [4] [5] The species gets its name from the hair on their coats that are connected in groups. These groups of hair are stiff guard hairs, resembling tiny quills and they are able to separate from the skin quite easily. [5] Unlike other species in the genus, the fiery spiny mouse does not lose its bare, scaled tail as easily.
The fiery spiny mouse varies in color from a deep brown to a reddish mixed with some black on its back while the belly is white. The dorsal surface color has also been described as being orange in color. [4] It has medium-sized ears and black eyes. [5]
The fiery spiny mouse is found in Northeastern Tanzania, near the Usambara Mountains and in Southern Kenya. [6] [1] It has a strictly confined habitat, occupying primarily rocky habitats in dry savannas in lower altitudes between 700 meters to 1,000 meters. [6] The species is isolated on cliffs and outcrops and as a result, there's uneven distribution among populations. [6]
However, it's not uncommon to find the species in gardens, grain storage units and straw huts. [6] In human settlements, the fiery spiny mouse has an advantage when competing against Wilson's spiny mouse (A.wilsoni), gaining preferred resources. [3] With human settlements there's more dietary resources, like seeds. [3]
The fiery mouse is in the order Rodentia and in the family Muridae. It is thought to be most closely related to Acomys pulchellus , Acomys kempi , Acomys montanus , and Acomys cahirinus . [7]
The fiery spiny mouse is omnivorous, even though it primarily eats grains, it also eat insects. [5] They drink water easily and in dry bush country, they suck the water from leaves. [5]
Generally, fiery spiny mice are gentle in nature and rarely bite. They are also described as being very shy. [5] However, in some cases, when living in groups, an individual will kill and somewhat eat the other members of the group. This was a behavior that was observed primarily in captivity. [5] The fiery spiny mouse is nocturnal, doing most of its activity in the night hours. [5]
The Muroidea are a large superfamily of rodents, including mice, rats, voles, hamsters, lemmings, gerbils, and many other relatives. Although the Muroidea originated in Eurasia, they occupy a vast variety of habitats on every continent except Antarctica. Some authorities have placed all members of this group into a single family, Muridae, due to difficulties in determining how the subfamilies are related to one another. Many of the families within the Muroidea superfamily have more variations between the families than between the different clades. A possible explanation for the variations in rodents is because of the location of these rodents; these changes could have been due to radiation or the overall environment they migrated to or originated in. The following taxonomy is based on recent well-supported molecular phylogenies.
The Muridae, or murids, are either the largest or second-largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 870 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
The subfamily Deomyinae consists of four genera of mouse-like rodents that were previously placed in the subfamilies Murinae and Dendromurinae. They are sometimes called the Acomyinae, particularly in references that antedate the discovery that the link rat, Deomys ferugineus, is part of the clade. Deomyinae is the older name and therefore has priority over Acomyinae.
The term spiny mouse refers to any species of rodent within the genus Acomys. Similar in appearance to mice of the genus Mus, spiny mice are small mammals with bare tails which contain osteoderms, a rare feature in mammals. Their coats are endowed with unusually stiff guard hairs similar to the spines of a hedgehog; this trait is the source of the common name, spiny mouse.
The golden spiny mouse gets its name from the reddish-orange spiny fur that covers its body from head to tail. This coarse, inflexible fur is thought to protect it from predation. Aside from the golden fur that covers its head and upper parts, its flanks are yellow and its underside is pale. It has gray legs with pale feet and black soles. It is also described as having a small, but distinct white spot under each eye. It is often found in the wild missing a part or all of its tail because it is able to shed this as a defense mechanism. However, it is not known how this is done, how often it can occur, or under what conditions. It lives an average of three years in the wild. It is omnivorous and feeds on seeds, desert plants, snails, and insects. Living in desert regions, it is a xeric animal that obtains water from the plants that it eats and produces very concentrated urine in order to conserve water. A. russatus is naturally nocturnal, but adapts to being diurnal when it shares a habitat with A. cahirinus.
The Western Saharan spiny mouse or Aïr spiny mouse is a species of small, insectivorous rodent in the family Muridae found arid regions of western Africa.
The Cairo spiny mouse, also known as the common spiny mouse, Egyptian spiny mouse, or Arabian spiny mouse, is a nocturnal species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Africa north of the Sahara, where its natural habitats are rocky areas and hot deserts. It is omnivorous and feeds on seeds, desert plants, snails, and insects. It is a gregarious animal and lives in small family groups. It is the first and only known rodent species that exhibit spontaneous decidualization and menstruation.
The Asia Minor spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
The gray spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, rocky areas, arable land, and rural gardens.
Kemp's spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and rocky areas. It is one of only two mammals, the other being Acomys percivali, which can shed its skin. In addition, it is known to be capable of completely regenerating damaged tissue, including hair follicles, skin, sweat glands, fur and cartilage.
Louise's spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and rocky areas.
The Mullah spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and rocky areas.
Percival's spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and rocky areas. It is one of two known species of mammals, the other being Acomys kempi, capable of completely regenerating damaged tissue, including hair follicles, skin, sweat glands, fur and cartilage.
The southern African spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and rocky areas.
Wilson's spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and rocky areas.Molecular evidence suggests that spiny mice (Acomys) are genetically more closely related to gerbils (Gerbillinae) than they are to actual mice (Muridae) based on their murine morphology.
The rusty-bellied brush-furred rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, arable land, and pastureland.
The eastern spiny mouse or Arabian spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. They have a wide range, having been found in Middle Eastern deserts, as well as being prevalent in riverine forests in Africa. This is the only species of spiny mouse which may have black coloration. Their diet is similar to other species of spiny mouse, consisting mostly of seeds.
Nannomys is a subgenus of the rodent genus Mus, the mice. They are known as the African pygmy mice. These species are native to sub-Saharan Africa, where they can be found in many types of habitat. There are 20 species.
The Nguru spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Tanzania.
The Muze spiny mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania.
