Graphiurus

For the taxonomic synonym of an extinct genus of fishes, see Graphiurichthys.

African dormouse Temporal range: Late Pliocene to Recent
African dormouse, Graphiurus sp. (murinus?)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Gliridae
Subfamily:	Graphiurinae Winge, 1887
Genus:	Graphiurus Smuts, 1832
Type species
Sciurus ocularis [1] A. Smith, 1829
Species
Graphiurus angolensis Graphiurus christyi Graphiurus crassicaudatus Graphiurus johnstoni Graphiurus kelleni Graphiurus lorraineus Graphiurus microtis Graphiurus monardi Graphiurus murinus Graphiurus nagtglasii Graphiurus ocularis Graphiurus platyops Graphiurus rupicola Graphiurus surdus Graphiurus walterverheyeni

The African dormice (genus Graphiurus) are dormice that live throughout sub-Saharan Africa in a variety of habitats. They are very agile climbers and have bushy tails. They primarily eat invertebrates, with other components of their diet including small vertebrates, ^[2] fruit, nuts and eggs. ^[3] They represent the most diverse living genus of dormice, making up half of all living species. ^[4]

Species

Genus Graphiurus, African dormice

• Angolan African dormouse, Graphiurus angolensis
• Christy's dormouse, Graphiurus christyi
• Jentink's dormouse, Graphiurus crassicaudatus
• Johnston's African dormouse, Graphiurus johnstoni
• Kellen's dormouse, Graphiurus kelleni
• Lorrain dormouse, Graphiurus lorraineus
• Small-eared dormouse, Graphiurus microtis
• Monard's dormouse, Graphiurus monardi
• Woodland dormouse, Graphiurus murinus
• Nagtglas's African dormouse, Graphiurus nagtglasii
• Spectacled dormouse, Graphiurus ocularis
• Rock dormouse, Graphiurus platyops
• Stone dormouse, Graphiurus rupicola
• Silent dormouse, Graphiurus surdus
• Graphiurus walterverheyeni ^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Graphiurus sp. (probably murinus) – male
• 
  Graphiurus sp. (probably murinus) – three males in a knot-hole
• 
  Graphiurus sp. (probably murinus) – two adults eating a nectarine

References

1. Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
2. Kingdon, Jonathan (2004). The Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals. Russel Friedman Books. ISBN   1-875091-14-9.
3. Kastenmayer RJ, Moak HB, Jeffress EJ, Elkins WR (March 2010). "Management and care of African dormice (Graphiurus kelleni)". J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 49 (2): 173–6. PMC   2846004 . PMID   20353691.
4. Lu, Xiaoyu; Costeur, Loïc; Hugueney, Marguerite; Maridet, Olivier (2021-02-01). "New data on early Oligocene dormice (Rodentia, Gliridae) from southern Europe: phylogeny and diversification of the family". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 19 (3): 169–189. Bibcode:2021JSPal..19..169L. doi:10.1080/14772019.2021.1888814. ISSN   1477-2019.
5. Holden ME, Levine RS (2009). "Systematic Revision of Sub-Saharan African Dormice (Rodentia: Gliridae: Graphiurus) Part II: Description of a New Species of Graphiurus from the Central Congo Basin, Including Morphological and Ecological Niche Comparisons with G. crassicaudatus and G. lorraineus" . Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 331: 314–355. doi:10.1206/582-9.1.