Thomas's vlei rat

Thomas's vlei rat
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Otomys
Species:	O. thomasi
Binomial name
Otomys thomasi Osgood, 1910 [2]
Synonyms
Otomys typus ssp. thomasiBohmann 1952

Thomas's vlei rat (Otomys thomasi) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Kenya's high plateau mountains of the Rift Valley. ^{[1] [3]}

Taxonomy

Osgood (1910) initially described this species as Otomys thomasi. ^[2] In 2006, it would be included under Otomys orestes (afroalpine vlei rat) by Carleton & Byrne. ^[1] Taylor et al. (2011) reviewed the genus Otomys and moved Otomys thomasi back to species status. ^{[4] [1]}

Conservation

It is known from less than 10 locations in Kenya and isn't recorded in protected areas, hence the assessment of the species as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. ^[1]

References

1. Taylor, P.J.; Relton, C. (2021). "Otomys thomasi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021 e.T48016232A78324728. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T48016232A78324728.en .
2. Osgood, W. H. (1910). "Diagnoses of new East African mammals, including a new genus of Muridae". Field Museum of Natural History. 10 (2). Retrieved 17 February 2023.
3. "Otomys thomasi (id=1003412)". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists . Retrieved 17 February 2023.
4. Taylor, Peter J.; Lavrenchenko, Leonid A.; Carleton, Michael D.; Verheyen, Erik; Bennett, Nigel C.; Oosthuizen, Carel J.; Maree, Sarita (13 September 2011). "Specific limits and emerging diversity patterns in East African populations of laminate-toothed rats, genus Otomys (Muridae: Murinae: Otomyini): Revision of the Otomys typus complex" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3024 (1): 1–66. doi:10.11646/ZOOTAXA.3024.1.1. S2CID   59381852 . Retrieved 17 February 2023.