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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. [3]
The southern African spiny mouse (Acomys spinosissimus) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. [2] It is found in Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and rocky areas.
Wilson's spiny mouse (Acomys wilsoni) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. [2] It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and rocky areas.Molecular evidence suggests that spiny mice (Acomys) are genetically more closely related to gerbils (Gerbillinae) than they are to actual ...
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.
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.
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.
The NGO Mouse-Free Marion has a plan to eradicate the mice using 600 tons of potent rodenticides dropped across the island by helicopters over several months Image credits: Tom Peschak
Mahomet mouse; Maned rat; Mastomys; Matthey's mouse; Mauritanian gerbil; Miller's striped mouse; Mittendorf's striped grass mouse; Monard's African climbing mouse; Montane wood mouse; Moon striped mouse; Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse; Mount Lefo brush-furred mouse; Mount Oku hylomyscus; Mount Oku rat; Hildegarde's broad-headed mouse; Guinea ...