Togo mouse

The furrows tooth - wood mouse ( Leimacomys buettneri ) is a rodent species from the family of long-tailed mice ( Muridae ). It is remarkable for its controversial systematic position; However, known only from two specimens found in 1890 and possibly already extinct.

Features

The specimens found had a body length of 11.8 cm and a 3.7 cm long tail. Their fur was dyed dark brown at the top, the shoulder regions were light brown and the underside greyish. The feet and ears were covered with hair; however, the remarkably short tail hairless. The toes, particularly on the hind legs, ending in long, sharp claws.

The incisors were slightly grooved; per half of the jaw also had three molars present; So overall, the animal had 16 teeth. The bit indicates an insectivorous diet.

Fund and research history

The two copies were in 1890 (then a German colony ) found in a wooded area in the central part of Togo and now preserved in the Berlin Museum of Natural History.

Their systematic position is unclear: the style was frequently moved back and forth after its first description between different taxa. Most of them were assigned to the tree mice ( Dendromurinae ); sometimes the Altweltmäusen ( Murinae ) or as a relative of the mane rats ( Lophiomyinae ) considered the similarities with these should be based only on convergence. The construction of the teeth again shows similarities with that of the gerbils ( Gerbillinae ).

In Mammal Species of the World (2005) it is finally classified in its own subfamily, Leimacomyinae; the preliminary nature of this classification is emphasized. More detailed information on the systematics can probably bring only genetic studies.

Endangering

Since 1890, no specimen of this species has been sighted more. Various sources hold already extinct; Other theories say that there has never been detailed scrutiny and that the furrows tooth - wood mouse could live in small areas in Togo and Ghana quite yet. The IUCN lists it under "too little data available " ( data deficient ).