Woodland dormouse

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Woodland dormouse
Graphiurus murinus Plzen zoo 02.2011.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Gliridae
Genus: Graphiurus
Species:
G. murinus
Binomial name
Graphiurus murinus
(Desmarest, 1822)

The woodland dormouse (Graphiurus murinus) is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. [2] 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. [3] Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical, moist montane forests and rivers.

Contents

Description

This is a small species with soft silky hair. The eyes are large, the cheeks whitish and the ears rounded and brown. The upper parts of the body are some shade of golden or greyish-brown, sometimes with a coppery or reddish tinge, and with a darker streak running along the spine in some individuals. The underparts are pale grey flushed with white or cream. The hind feet are usually white with a dark streak. The bushy tail is about 85% of the length of the head-and-body, and is the same colour as the dorsal fur. [4]

Distribution and habitat

The woodland dormouse is native to Africa where it is found in Burundi, Ethiopia, Chad, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is found in a range of habitats including woodland, grassland, savannah and rocky areas. In some localities it is found in woodland where Combretum is dominant. It also occurs in degraded and secondary habitats and sometimes enters buildings. [1] It is mostly a forest species and occurs at altitudes between about 1,000 and 4,000 m (3,300 and 13,100 ft). [4]

Ecology

Like other members of its family this dormouse is mostly arboreal, but in some locations it is a rock-climbing rodent. It is an omnivore. The diet includes insects and other small invertebrates, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds and fruit. It builds a nest, usually in a crevice or hole in a tree; other nest locations have included abandoned swallows' nests, human habitations, among mosses and other epiphytes, and in the middle of a bush, where the globular structure had a side entrance. Under certain conditions of temperature and food availability, this dormouse can enter a state of torpor. [4]

Status

G. murinus is a common species and no particular threats have been identified. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

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<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.

Thomas's rope squirrel or redless tree squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being of "least concern".

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.

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The Lorrain dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical, moist, lowland forests, moist savanna, and plantations.

Monard's dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and possibly Zambia. Its natural habitat is moist Central Zambezian miombo woodlands savanna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nagtglas's African dormouse</span> Species of rodent

The Nagtglas's African dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and possibly Gabon. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical, moist, lowland forests. The rodent is named after Cornelis Nagtglas.

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The forest dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae found in eastern Europe, the Balkans and parts of western Central Asia. It is categorized as being of least concern in the IUCN List of Threatened Species due to its wide range and stable population trend. Forest dormice have a diploid count (2n) of 48 chromosomes. Even though this species lives in a variety of geographic locations, its greatest population density is in the forests of central Moldova, in Transcaucasia, and in the mountains of Central Asia. In most other locations, population density of this species is rather low. Population density is dependent on many factors. But the main features that this species depends on for choosing a location are the presence of the appropriate food sources as well as good foliage that can be used for a habitat. The reason why the forests in central Moldova have the highest population density is they provide the largest diversity of food sources which are available throughout the year. This location also provides the best type of foliage for the forest dormice to build their nests as well as swing from branches. The combination of both of these aspects allows for this species to have its highest needs met. Therefore, during mating season they produce offspring who also stay in the same general area when they mature. It makes sense not to move from an area if it is providing for your most basic needs.

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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".

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Cassola, F.; Child, M.F. (2016). "Graphiurus murinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T9487A22221270. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  2. ↑ Holden, M.E. (2005). "Family Gliridae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 826–827. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  3. ↑ "African Pygmy Dormouse Care". Crittery. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Jonathan Kingdon; David Happold; Thomas Butynski; Michael Hoffmann; Meredith Happold; Jan Kalina (2013). Mammals of Africa. A&C Black. pp. 124–126. ISBN   978-1-4081-8996-2.
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