Brush-furred mouse
Lophuromys sikapusi
The brush hair mouse ( Lophuromys ) are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa genus of long-tailed mice. They are characterized by their unusual coloring for mice and the bristly hair.
Features
The coat colors vary greatly from species to species The top is beige, gray or brown in color; Some species have white or orange spots. Striking is the colorful bottom, the orange, can be cream or cinnamon. The body length varies depending on the type 9-16 cm. The length of the tail, there are two types: In the subgenus Kivumys the tail is long in the body about; other hand, it is much shorter in the subgenus Lophuromys and reaches only half the body length.
Distribution and habitat
Brush hair mice come in a variety of habitats. They inhabit savannahs, as well as rainforests. Its distribution ranges from the rain forest belt of West Africa and the Ethiopian highlands about Central and East Africa to Angola and Mozambique. In South Africa they are missing. The distribution area is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where most species are native.
Way of life
All kinds, even the forest-dwelling, hold off on the floor and do not climb. There are in the genus diurnal and nocturnal species. Nests of dry grass are created under rocks, roots and branches. They live solitary; collide two fellows, it is usually too fierce fighting, which can result in torn ears and tails. In the nests of the mice also bring their young into the world. The litter these are one to five boy, and in a year can be a hair brush mouse six litters draw.
Plant food is for brushing hair mouse mostly based foods. To an extent of 40 to 100 %, they feed on animal food. These are mainly ants but also other insects and even small frogs.
System
The two subgenera Lophuromys and Kivumys can be distinguished well against each other. Besides the already mentioned differences in tail length, especially the hind legs (long at Kivumys, briefly at Lophuromys ), ears ( large with Kivumys, small at Lophuromys ) and the claws ( short for Kivumys long at Lophuromys ) striking distinguishing features.
- Subgenus Kivumys Woosnam's brush hair mouse, Lophuromys woosnami, mountainous regions in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, western Uganda and in Rwanda and Burundi
- Yellow-bellied brush hair mouse, Lophuromys luteogaster, north-east. Democratic Republic of Congo
- Lophuromys medicaudatus, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda
- Lophuromys angolensis
- Lophuromys AQUILUS
- Lophuromys brevicaudus
- Lophuromys brunneus
- Lophuromys chrysopus
- Grey hair brush mouse, Lophuromys cinereus, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
- Lophuromys dieterleni
- Lophuromys dudui
- Lophuromys eisentrauti, Cameroon
- Yellow stains brush hair mouse, Lophuromys flavopunctatus, East Africa, south central Africa, Ethiopia
- Lophuromys huttereri
- Ebonclaw brush hair mouse, Lophuromys melanonyx, Ethiopian highlands
- Fire belly - hair brush mouse, Lophuromys nudicaudus, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea
- Cream hair brush mouse, Lophuromys rahmi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda
- Lophuromys roseveari
- Lophuromys rubecula
- Ferruginous brush hair mouse, Lophuromys sikapusi, West and Central Africa
- Lophuromys verhageni
- Lophuromys zena
As a close relative of the brush hair mice the spiny mice are ( Acomys ). With these and other genera, they form the subfamily Deomyinae.