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Their coats are endowed with unusually stiff guard hairs similar to the spines of a hedgehog; this trait is the source of the common name, spiny mouse. Despite their anatomic similarity to members of the genus Mus , genetic evidence suggests that the African spiny mice may be more closely related to gerbils than to common mice.
The Cairo spiny mouse grows to a head and body length of about 3.75 to 5 in (95 to 127 mm) with a tail of much the same length. Adults weigh between 1.5 and 3 oz (43 and 85 g). The colour of the Cairo spiny mouse is sandy-brown or greyish-brown above and whitish beneath. A line of spine-like bristles run along the ridge of the back.
The fur on its back is tawny, each hair being grey at the base with a rufous sub-terminal band and a grey tip. It takes its name from a line of spiny hairs on the posterior part of the back, in older mice the spiny hairs spread forwards along the back towards the head. The ventral fur is white and separated clearly from the flanks.
Golden Spiny Mouse from Saudi Arabia, Arabian Peninsula The most frequently studied aspect of Acomys russatus is its apparent ability to switch from nocturnal to diurnal activity patterns. Specifically, it is naturally nocturnal, but will become diurnal when sharing a habitat with its congener , another spiny mouse species, Acomys cahirinus .
Percival's spiny mouse (Acomys percivali) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. [2] It is found in Kenya , Somalia , South Sudan , and Uganda . Its natural habitats are dry savanna , subtropical or tropical dry shrubland , and rocky areas.
Cape spiny mice may live singly or in small groups. They feed almost exclusively on seeds, especially ant dispersed seeds of Restionaceae and Proteaceae with elaiosomes. The remainder of the diet consists of green plant material and insects, millipedes, and snails. In addition, the cape spiny mouse feed extensively on Protea humiflora flower.
Arabian Spiny Mouse from Eastern Saudi Arabia. The eastern spiny mouse is a small rodent with a head-and-body length of up to 17.5 cm (7 in) and a tail of up to 12.5 cm (5 in), and a maximum weight of about 90 g (3.2 oz). The fur feels coarse when rubbed against the lie of the hairs, each individual hair being dark tan with a greyish tip.
The Crete spiny mouse (Acomys minous) is a species of mouse endemic to Crete. It is characterized by the coarse, stiff hairs on its back and tail and a notably grayer coloration and more pointed face than other species of spiny mice. Its fur color varies from yellow to red, gray or brown on its face and back, with white fur on its underside.