Walter Verheyen's mouse
Species of rodent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Walter Verheyen's mouse (Hylomyscus walterverheyeni) is a species of rodent of the genus Hylomyscus that is found in the Central African lowland and mountain forests.[1]
| Walter Verheyen's mouse | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Hylomyscus |
| Species: | H. walterverheyeni |
| Binomial name | |
| Hylomyscus walterverheyeni Nicolas, Wendelen, Barriere, Dudu & Colyn, 2008 | |
Description
The species was first described in 2008 and was named after Walter Verheyen, who was the first to study the genus Hylomyscus.[2]
Hylomyscus walterverheyeni has soft, fine fur which is reddish brown on its back and whitish gray on its underside. Juveniles are blackish gray. The mean head-body length is 86 mm and the mean tail length is 129 mm. It weighs between 11 and 29 g (mean 18 g).[2]
The species morphology is very similar to related species Hylomyscus stella. It can be distinguished by DNA analysis, and cranial and dental morphometrics.[1]
Distribution
The species is found in forests up to 2000 m is the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, and south-east and western Cameroon.[1]
Diet
Their diet consists of insects, fruits, and seeds. The availability of food depends on the location and time of year.[2]