Mus minutoides

Smith, 1834

Southern African Pygmy Mouse

Figure 1. Photograph by B. Stanley.

Figure 2. FMNH 177918. Photograph by R. Banasiak.

Type Description:

Smith, A. 1833-1834. An epitome of African Zoology; or, a concise description of the objects of the animal Kingdom inhabiting Africa, its islands and seas. South African Quarterly Journal, 2:16-32, 49-64, 81-96, 113-128, 145-160, 169-192, 209-224, 233-248.

Type Locality:

South Africa, S Western Cape Province, Cape Town.

Measurements:

Head and body: 45-77 mm

Tail length: 36-70 mm

Weight: 2.5-10.5 g

Distribution:

Distributed widely south of the Sahara, Mus minutoides can be found in almost all vegetation types and at all altitudes and ranges from forests to semi-arid bush. (Kingdon, 1984, 1997)

Figure 3.

Key Reference:

1. Kingdon, J. 1984. East African mammals: An atlas of evolution in Africa. (Hares and Rodents). University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2B:600-603.
2. Kingdon, J. 1997. The Kingdon field guide to African mammals, AP Natural World Academic Press, Harcourt Brace & Company, San Diego, p. 208.
3. Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. Sixth ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2:1344-1346, 1604-1608.