Stone dormouse

Last updated

Stone dormouse
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Gliridae
Genus: Graphiurus
Species:
G. rupicola
Binomial name
Graphiurus rupicola
(Thomas & Hinton, 1925)

The stone dormouse (Graphiurus rupicola) is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Namibia, South Africa, and possibly Angola. Its natural habitat is rocky areas in the Karoo. Though it has a limited range, it is a fairly common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Contents

Description

The stone dormouse is a moderate sized species with a head-and-body length of 105 to 119 mm (4.1 to 4.7 in) and a tail of 96 to 118 mm (3.8 to 4.6 in). The fur on the back is woolly, thick and rather long, being around 10 mm (0.4 in) on the rump with guard hairs of up to 17 mm (0.7 in). The dorsal colour varies from silvery-grey to dull grey or dark grey. The underparts are white or cream tinted with dark grey, and there is a sharp colour divide between the dorsal and ventral areas. The skull is somewhat flattened, the ears are fairly large and oval and the eyes are large. There is a conspicuous mask around the eyes and the cheeks are white, this colour extending in a stripe across the shoulders. The hind feet are usually white but may have dark streaks on top. The tail is long and has short fur near the base and longer hair near the tip, where the hair may be as long as 43 mm (1.7 in). The tail is grey with many white hairs, and has a white tip. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The stone dormouse is endemic to southwestern Africa where its range includes mountainous parts of Namibia and South Africa, with records from a single location in Angola, [1] mostly at altitudes above 400 m (1,300 ft) and up to at least 1,586 m (5,200 ft). Its typical habitat is in rocky outcrops and in kopjes (rocky, elevated areas on an otherwise flat plain) where it lives in crevices. It mostly inhabits Karoo or Karoo transition areas, though the specimens found in Angola were found in evergreen woodland on a mountain summit. [2]

Status

The stone dormouse is a fairly common species in suitable habitat and faces no particular threats. It occurs in several protected areas and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dormouse</span> Family of mammals, the dormice

A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae. Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hibernation period of six months or longer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angolan slender mongoose</span> Species of mongoose from Africa

The Angolan slender mongoose is a mongoose native to southwestern Africa, specifically southwestern Angola and northwestern Namibia. It has been listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List, as it is not threatened and thought to be common. It has a long, slim body and there are different colour forms, a black or dark brown form in the southern part of its range, and a yellowish- or reddish-brown form in the north. This mongoose inhabits dry, rocky habitats and feeds on insects, scorpions and small vertebrates.

<i>Graphiurus</i> Genus of rodents

The African dormice are dormice that live throughout sub-Saharan Africa in a variety of habitats. They are very agile climbers and have bushy tails. They eat invertebrates and small vertebrates.

The Zulu serotine, also called the Zulu pipistrelle, aloe bat, or aloe serotine, is a species of vesper bat found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, and hot deserts.

The Namib brush-tailed gerbil or Setzer's hairy-footed gerbil is a species of rodent endemic to Angola and Namibia. Its natural habitats are sandy and gravelly plains. It stays in its burrow by day, emerging at night to feed on arthropods, vegetable matter, and seeds.

The montane hylomyscus or montane wood mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. A long-coated species with brownish-grey upper parts and whitish-grey underparts, it occurs in the uplands of tropical Central Africa where its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forests.

The Ethiopian forest brush-furred rat or golden-footed brush-furred rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Ethiopia where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highveld gerbil</span> Species of rodent

The highveld gerbil is a species of rodent found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, temperate shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, temperate grassland, and temperate desert. This is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being of "least concern" as of 2008.

The Guinean gerbil is a species of rodent found in Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and possibly Liberia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, rocky areas and arable land, but it is mostly found in areas laterite or clay soils, and with variable amounts of vegetation and dense scrub. This species is described as common and has a stable population and a wide distribution, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-tailed tree rat</span> Species of rodent native to Africa

The black-tailed tree rat, also called black-tailed acacia rat or black-tailed thallomys,, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is both nocturnal and arboreal and makes bulky nests in the trees, often acacias, where it feeds on leaves and buds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian garden dormouse</span> Species of rodent

The Asian garden dormouse or large-eared garden dormouse, is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas and gardens.

The Angolan African dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. Found in central and north Angola and western Zambia, it has been recorded from seven localities over an altitudinal range from 1,000 to 2,000 m above sea level. Its natural habitat is tropical dry forests. Although the population size is unknown, it is thought to be generally uncommon.

Kellen's dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is native to tropical Africa where its range extends from the Gambia and Senegal to Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, and moist or dry savannah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodland dormouse</span> Species of rodent

The woodland dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is native to southern and eastern Africa and is also known as the African dormouse, African dwarf dormouse, African pygmy dormouse, or colloquially as micro squirrel. Found in limited numbers in the pet trade, it has complicated care requirements compared to other pet rodents. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical, moist montane forests and rivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectacled dormouse</span> Species of rodent

The spectacled dormouse or namtap is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae, and one of four dormouse species endemic to South Africa.

The rock dormouse or flat-headed African dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe where it lives among rocks in upland areas. It is a fairly common, mainly nocturnal species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swamp musk shrew</span> Species of mammal native to African swamps

The swamp musk shrew, or musk shrew, is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It occurs in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is swamps, and it is a common species in suitable habitats, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature listing it as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African giant shrew</span> Species of mammal

The African giant shrew is a species of white-toothed shrew. It also is known as, Mann's musk shrew, Euchareena's musk shrew, or Olivier's shrew. It is native to Africa, where it has a widespread distribution and occurs in many types of habitat. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, dry savanna, moist savanna, arable land, rural gardens, urban areas, and heavily degraded former forest. In the Nile Valley it is found near human habitation, where it is considered to be a pest. It is a common species and is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rüppell's horseshoe bat</span> Species of bat

Rüppell's horseshoe bat is a species of bat in the family Rhinolophidae found in Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, moist savanna, caves and other subterranean habitats. This species is quite common in parts of its range, and no specific threats have been recognised, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maghreb garden dormouse</span> Species of rodent

The Maghreb garden dormouse is a nocturnal species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara. Its natural habitats vary from humid forests to semi-deserts. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being of "least concern".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schlitter, D. (2016). "Graphiurus rupicola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T9492A22220235. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T9492A22220235.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Kingdon, Jonathan; Happold, David; Butynski, Thomas; Hoffmann, Michael; Happold, Meredith; Kalina, Jan (2013). Mammals of Africa. A&C Black. pp. 131–132. ISBN   978-1-4081-8996-2.