identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
9B215C43FFC4DD03CBB0FE65F85BFAD6.text	9B215C43FFC4DD03CBB0FE65F85BFAD6.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Gliridae Muirhead 1819	<div><p>Family GLIRIDAE</p><p>(DORMICE)</p><p>• Smallto medium-sized rodents, often characterized by periods of dormancy, with soft fur, large eyes, short curved Class, moderately long non-prehensile bushy tail but scantily haired in certain species.</p><p>• 10-35 cm.</p><p>• Palearctic and Afrotropical Regions.</p><p>• Temperate and tropical forests, savannas, steppes, and deserts.</p><p>• 9 genera, 29 species, 29 taxa.</p><p>• 2 species Vulnerable; none Extinct since 1600.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC4DD03CBB0FE65F85BFAD6	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC6DD01C961FE68F6DBF937.text	9B215C43FFC6DD01C961FE68F6DBF937.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus Smuts 1832	<div><p>1.</p><p>Nagtglas’s African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus nagtglasu</p><p>French: Loir de Nagtglas / German: Grol 3er Afrikanischer Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Nagtglas</p><p>Other common names: Huet's African Dormouse, Large Gray Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus nagtglasii Jentink, 1888,</p><p>Hill Town, Du Queah River, Liberia.</p><p>Most publications covering dormice in West Africa have historically referred to this species as G. hueti, but in 1996, P. Grubb and W. F. H. Ansell recommended applying the name G. nagtglasu to this large West African dormouse. Grubb explained in 2004 that the name G. hueti was a nomen dubium (doubtful validity). A. T. de Rochebrune in 1883 listed the type locality as Senegal and reported that the species also occurred in neighboring Gambia, but records have never been substantiated in either of these countries. No type specimen for de Rochebrune’s G. hueti was ever located. Grubb and Ansell allocated the next available name for this dormouse, G. nagtglasii, for which a suitable holotype existed. F. A. Jentink in 1888 based his description of G. nagtglasii on five syntypes, three from the Du Queah and Farmington rivers in Liberia and two from the “Gold Coast,” or modern-day Ghana. His description and measurements were based only on one adult male from the Du Queah River, and M. E. Holden in 2013 restricted the type locality to that river. G. M. Allen in 1939 and H. Genest-Villard in 1978 included G. monardi as a subspecies of G. nagtglasu, but J. R. Ellerman and colleagues in 1953, Ansell in 1978, L.. W. Robbins and D. A. Schlitter in 1981, and Holden in 1993, 2005, and 2013 observed that G. monardi is clearly distinct from and probably not closely related to G. nagtglasu. E. G. Potapova in 2001 and I. Y. Pavlinov and Potapova in 2003 placed this species within its own subgenus, Aethoglis, an arrangement followed by Holden in 2005. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. W &amp; C Africa, from SE Sierra Leone to E Cameroon (excluding Benin), SW Central African Republic and Gabon. The S distributional limit of this species is unknown, as the Gabon specimen has no specific locality information.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head—body 120-155 mm, tail 62-122 mm, ear 15-22 mm, hindfoot 20-30 mm; weight 79-104 g. Nagtglas’s African Dormouse is the largest species in the genus. No sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage is brown, grayish brown, or rufous brown; subadult dorsal pelage is mostly gray; texture is soft, woolly, dense, and short; rump hairs are 5-7 mm, and guard hairs are up to 12 mm. Fur of many museum specimens feels rough and coarse, but this is an artifact ofthe collecting method used because many were smoked out of hollow trees and fur is thus singed. Ventral pelage is dark gray, washed with ocher, cream, or white, and dorsal and ventral pelage colors are not clearly delineated. Eye mask is usually conspicuous and forms broad, dark band extending from eyes to muzzle. Cheeks are grayish white or ocherous white. Ears are brown, medium in length, narrow, and somewhat pointed; post auricular patches are not present. Hindfeet are uniformly gray or brown, or white with dark metatarsal streak, c.19% of head-body length. Tail is moderately long, ¢.76% of head-body length. Tail hairs are shorter at bases, 14-18 mm, with longer hairs toward tip, up to 37 mm. Tail is distichous, most conspicuous from ventral view. Tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage on dorsal and ventral surfaces, but it has a variegated frosted appearance. A few white hairs are occasionally mixed throughout tail, but tip is not white. Greatest length of skull is 34:9-39-1 mm, zygomatic breadth is 18-3-22 mm, and upper tooth row length is 4-6-5-7 mm. Chromosome number is 2n = 40. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Primary rainforest, secondary forest, abandoned farmlands, cocoa plantations and other kinds of farms in forested areas at elevations from near sea level to ¢.650 m. Most museum specimens were collected from hollow trees, one from an old hollow banana stem and several from banana groves within cocoa plantations. Farmers preparing new farms in secondary bush or forest have often caught Nagtglas’s African Dormice. Several individuals have been reported to be trapped on vines in secondary forest near hollow trees and four examples were collected in south-eastern Cameroon in the same tree cavities as two tree-roosting bat species: the Large Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris grandis) and the Cyclops Roundleat Bat (Hipposideros cyclops). In Ghana, sharing or co-roosting oftree cavities by these dormice and certain species of bats was further supported by capture of a Nagtglas’s African Dormouse by an opening at the base of a large, hollow buttressed tree, and the subsequent capture of one specimen of Cyclops Roundleaf Bat in a mist net nearby. The dormouse collected at the base ofthe tree was obtained in primary rainforest, but Nagtglas’s African Dormice were often observed at night along an access road leading to the village of Mmem, foraging in a flowering Solanum erianthum ( Solanaceae).</p><p>Food and Feeding. Nagtglas’s African Dormouse is probably omnivorous. In the wild, foods include cocoa pods, African oil palm nuts ( Elaeis guineensis, Arecaceae), papaya ( Carica papaya, Caricaceae), bananas, and insects. Because Nagtglas’s African Dormice are known to nest in hollow trees and have been collected only among vines or in trees, they presumably do not forage on the ground.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Nagtglas’s African Dormice are 2-3 young. Limited data suggest that most young are born during the wetter months of the year. In Liberia, a parous adult was recorded in April; in Ghana, several females were trapped in September and March, with three lactating young whose eyes were not yet opened; in western Ghana, eight females, each nesting with 2-3 young, were found in September—November; and in Cameroon, an adult female containing two embryos was found in February, and a lactating female was caught at the same locality in April.</p><p>Activity patterns. Nagtglas’s African Dormice are nocturnal and are thought to sleep during the day, curling up in their nests with the tail folded over the head.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Nagtglas’s African Dormouse is arboreal and solitary, except for lactating females. They climb well but move slowly on the ground. Nests are often made in hollow trees, and one female made a nest of dry banana fibers inside an old banana plant stem. Eight females with young trapped in banana groves made their nests of dry banana leaves. Nagtglas’s African Dormouse was considered somewhat common and widespread throughout the West African rainforest and has been reported to be less shy and not as easily scared by humans as the smaller species of West African dormice.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Because of its expansive distribution, presumably large population, occurrence in several protected areas, tolerance of habitat alteration, Nagtglas’s African Dormouse probably is not declining fast enough to qualify for inclusion in a more threatened category. Ability of Nagtglas’s African Dormice to inhabit secondary growth and disturbed areas indicates that they are less sensitive to habitat modification than species associated with intact forests or undisturbed habitat; however, most specimens were collected from hollow trees, suggesting that presence of suitable nesting sites, in the form of tree cavities or suitable plant species, are important habitat requirements. Intense logging, especially combined with overgrazing, would likely prove detrimental. Another threat to large and small mammals in this region includes hunting of bushmeat.</p><p>Bibliography. Aellen (1965), Allen, G.M. (1939), Amori &amp; Gippoliti (2002), Ansell (1978), Coe (1975), Decher et al. (2005), Denys et al. (2014), Dosso (1975), Ellerman et al. (1953), Everard (1968), Genest-Villard (1978), Grubb (2004), Grubb &amp; Ansell (1996), Grubb &amp; Schlitter (2008c), Happold (1987), Heim de Balsac (1967), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Jeffrey (1973), Jentink (1888), Pavlinov &amp; Potapova (2003), Potapova (2001), Robbins &amp; Schlitter (1981), de Rochebrune (1883), Rosevear (1969), Schlitter et al. (1985), Tranier &amp; Dosso (1979).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC6DD01C961FE68F6DBF937	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC6DD00CC58F8A3FD18F606.text	9B215C43FFC6DD00CC58F8A3FD18F606.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus crassicaudatus (Jentink 1888)	<div><p>2.</p><p>Thick-tailed African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus crassicaudatus</p><p>French: Loir de Jentink / German: Jentink-Bilch / Spanish: Lirén de cola gruesa</p><p>Other common names: Jentink's African Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Claviglis crassicaudatus Jentink, 1888,</p><p>Hill Town, Du Queah River, Liberia.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Claviglis . Based on external appearance, this species is somewhat similar to G. walterverheyeni, but it is much larger in body size and differs in cranial proportions. In 1969, D. R. Rosevear and M. E. Holden in 1996 hypothesized that morphological similarity between G. crassicaudatus and G. nagtglasu reflected a close phylogenetic relationship between the two species. A cladistic analysis of African dormice based on cranial and middle ear characters by I. Y. Pavlinov &amp; E. G. Potapova in 2003, however, does not support this contention; their study showed that the characters shared by G. crassicaudatus and G. nagtglasii may be primitive for the genus and that G. crassicaudatus shares certain derived characters with other species of Graphiurus . Graphiurus walterverheyeni was not yet described when Pavlinov and Potapova’s analysis was performed; based on cranial traits, Holden and R. S. Levine in 2009 postulated a close relationship between G. crassicaudatus and G. walterverheyeni . Graphiurus crassicaudatus have not been recorded from DR Congo; in 2008, P. Grubb and D. A. Schlitter noted an unidentified example of Graphiurus in the British Museum from southern DR Congo that was previously thought to represent G. crassicaudatus, the specimen they referred tois likely the same specimen described later by Holden and Levine in 2009 as the holotype of G. walterverheyeni . In 2009, Holden and Levine discussed the validity of the record of G. crassicaudatus from Bioko I. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. W &amp; C Africa, from Liberia and SW Guinea E to SW Cameroon and Bioko I, but excluding Benin.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 83-98 mm, tail 55-70 mm, ear 11-14 mm, hindfoot 16-19 mm; weight 20-29 g. No information regarding sexual dimorphism has been reported. Dorsal pelage of the Thick-tailed African Dormouse is rufous brown or copper. Fur is soft and short, rump hairs are 4-5 mm, and guard hairs are up to 10 mm. Ventral pelage is gray washed with ocher, cream, or white, and dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Eyes are large, and eye mask is conspicuous in some individuals, although others have only narrow dark eye-rings. Cheeks are paler than dorsal pelage. Ears are brown, short, and rounded, and post-auricular patches are usually not present. Hindfeet are solid white or white with dark metatarsal streak. The Thicktailed African Dormouse has one oftherelatively shortesttails in the genus, ¢.65%of head-body length. Tail hairs are shorter at base, 3-4 mm, with longer hairs toward tip, up to 27 mm. Tail ofthe type specimen was shed during injury, an exampleofthefalse tail autotomy exhibited by most species of Gliridae . Dense, bushy regrowth oftail hairs makestail appear thicker than normal; tail has been described as “club-shaped,” hence the scientific name. Color ofdorsal and ventral surfaces oftail generally matches that of dorsum and does not exhibit white tip. Greatest length ofskull is 26-7-29-7 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-3-16-7 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-3-3 mm. Chromosome number is not known. Females usually have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + I abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8), a female with only two pairs (0 pectoral + 0 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 4) has been reported.</p><p>Habitat. Most often encountered in or near primary and secondary rainforest of moist evergreen or moist semideciduous tropical broadleafforest, and Guinean savannaforest mosaic fromsea level to ¢.600 m. Thick-tailed African Dormice might also inhabit cultivated areas and buildings. Individuals from south-western Cameroon were captured on vines and horizontal branches in secondary high forest and no hollow trees were seen in the immediate area. In southern Nigeria, one individual was collected in secondary rainforest characterized by regrowth of limba ( Terminalia superba, Combretaceae), African plum ( Dacryodes sp., Burseraceae), African oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis, Arecaceae), and abura trees ( Mitragyna sp., Rubiaceae); most trees were young with diameters less than 30 cm.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Cheekteeth of the Thick-tailed African Dormouse have relatively large occlusal surface area compared with other species of African dormice. It has been reported that individuals in south-western Cameroon were attracted by nuts from the African oil palm used for bait.</p><p>Breeding. Litter size of two young was recorded from oneindividual. Thick-tailed African Dormice breed readily in captivity; one pregnant female from Eseka, Cameroon, captured in October had two embryos and the same specimen was found to have only four mammae, rather than eight.</p><p>Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Thick-tailed African Dormiceis likely nocturnal.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Thick-tailed African Dormice are likely arboreal and solitary. Densities are probably low within suitable habitat. In Nigeria, only one Thick-tailed African Dormouse (0-4%) was caught out of 238 arboreal species captured.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. This reflects lack of information on extent ofdistribution, natural history, and potential threats. World Wildlife Fund in 2015 classified ecoregions inhabited by Thick-tailed African Dormice as critically endangered. Threats to this forest dwelling species are anthropogenic; population pressures have extensively altered original forest formations since Colonial times. Logging and agriculture have decimated forests in some areas and left small fragments in others, and even protected areas have been modified by historical and recent human activities. There are several important forest reserves in its distribution, although civil conflict has resultedin increased logging activity within some protected areas, and there is a lack of priority being placed on conservation within certain areas ofthis region. Another threat to mostly large but occasionally small mammals in this region includes hunting of bushmeat.</p><p>Bibliography. Amori &amp; Gippoliti (2002), Angelici &amp; Luiselli (2005), Denys et al. (2014), Dollman (1912), Grubb &amp; Schlitter (2008b), Holden (1996b, 2013), Holden &amp; Levine (2009), Pavlinov &amp; Potapova (2003), Robbins &amp; Schlitter (1981), Rosevear (1969), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC6DD00CC58F8A3FD18F606	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC7DD00C9D1F59FF67EF606.text	9B215C43FFC7DD00C9D1F59FF67EF606.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus walterverheyeni Holden & Levine 2009	<div><p>3.</p><p>Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus walterverheyeni</p><p>French: Loir de Verheyen / German: Verheyen-Bilch / Spanish: Lirén de Walter Verheyen</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus walterverheyeni Holden &amp; Levine, 2009,</p><p>River Lukenie (Meridian 22-30 E), 500 meters, western DR Congo.</p><p>M. E. Holden and R. S. Levine in 2009 hypothesized that based on cranial morphology, G. walterverheyeni appears most closely related to G. crassicaudatus, andis thus tentatively included here under subgenus Clauviglis; they cautioned, however, that a close relationship with G. lorraineus cannot be ruled out. Further systematic study that ideally includes molecular sampling ofthe holotype and the one additional referred specimen is needed to elucidate the evolutionary relationships among these three forest-dwelling dormice, and among all species of Graphiurus . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. C DR Congo, known only from the Lukenie River and Wafania, near the left bank ofthe Luilaka River. Distributional limits ofthis species are not known.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 72 mm, tail 64 mm, ear 11-115 mm, hindfoot 14-15 mm; all measurements from the type specimen. No specific data are available for body weight. Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouseis one ofthe smallest-bodied species in the genus. No sexual dimorphism is reported. Dorsal pelage is dull rufous brown, with no conspicuous darkening toward midline. The type specimen on which pelage description is based may have been molting at time ofcapture, and typical dorsal pelage color may be similar to brighter rufous brown of by Thick-tailed African Dormice. Dorsal pelage is soft-textured and short; rump hairs are 4 mm, and guard hairs are up to 6-7 mm. Ventral pelageis dark gray, washed with buff. Sides of body appear paler, but dorsal pelage is not clearly delineated from ventral pelage. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage. Eyes are large and encircled by narrow dark eye-rings; eye mask is not conspicuous. Cheeks are paler than dorsal pelage. Ears are brown, short, and rounded; post-auricular patches are not present. Hindfeet are white, with dark metatarsal streak, c.20%of head—body length. Tail is moderately long, ¢.89%of head-body length, based only on measurement ofthe paratype, because part ofthe type specimen’s tail was lost via caudal autotomy prior to capture. Dorsal tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, and ventral tail color darker; white hairs are scattered conspicuously throughout tail, and on the holotype truncatedtail is conspicuously tipped in white, as is commonfortails that havesustained an injury. Tail on the paratype is intact and does not have whitetail tip. Tail hairs are shorter at base oftail and longer toward tail tip. Skull is short and broad, with markedly short rostrum, broad interorbit, andrelatively inflated auditory bullae. Greatest length ofskull is 22-5-22-9 mm, zygomatic breadthis 14-2—-14-5 mm, and uppertooth row length is 2:8-3-1 mm. Chromosome number and nipple count is not known. External and cranial measurements are from holotype and paratype specimens from central DR Congo.</p><p>Habitat. There is no specific habitat information associated with the two known specimens, but localities are situated within seasonally inundated riverine and terra firma Central Congolian lowland rainforests in the South Central forest region; this region is recognized as a major center of mammalian endemism. The South Central forest major center of endemismis further divided into minor centers of endemism, one of which is the Salonga Center of Endemism circumscribed by the Congo River in the west, the Lomami River in the east, and the Kasai River to the south: collection sites of Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse occur within this area. The Salonga Center of Endemism includes the Salonga-LLukenie-Sankuru Forest Landscapeprioritizedfor conservation by the Congo Basin Forest Partnership in 2005. Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse may be endemic to the Salonga Center of Endemism within the South Central forest region.</p><p>Food and Feeding. There is no information availablefor this species.</p><p>Breeding. Thereis no information availablefor this species.</p><p>Activity patterns. There is no specific information availableforthis species, but Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouseis probably nocturnal.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information availableforthis species, but Walter Verheyen'’s African Dormouseis probably arboreal and solitary.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Not yet assessed on The IUCN Red List. Data Deficient is probably most appropriate for Walter Verheyen’s African Dormouse because there is no information on geographical limits, natural history, or abundance. Salonga National Park, classified as a World Heritage Site, occurs in the South Central forest region/ Salonga-Lukenie-Sankuru Forest Landscape. It is thought to be the second largest tropical forest park in the world but faces heavy illegal hunting pressure. Larger Endangered and Near Threatened mammals on The IUCN Red List that occur within this region such as African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), Bonobo (Pan paniscus), and Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) attract illegal poachers and large-scale hunting activities that locally negatively impact and modify habitat; logging and subsistence agriculture have also modifiedforest in certain areas.</p><p>Bibliography. Colyn (1991), Colyn et al. (1991), CBFP (2005), Dieterlen (2008), Groves (2005), Grubb (2001), Happold (1996), Hart et al. (2008), Holden &amp; Levine (2009), Musser &amp; Carleton (2005), Van der Straeten &amp; Dudu (1990), Van der Straeten &amp; Peterhans (1999), Van der Straeten et al. (2003), Verheyen et al. (1996).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC7DD00C9D1F59FF67EF606	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC7DD07CCC8F59FFA9BF553.text	9B215C43FFC7DD07CCC8F59FFA9BF553.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus angolensis de Winton 1897	<div><p>4.</p><p>Angolan African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus angolensis</p><p>French: Loir dAngola / German: Angola-Bilch / Spanish: Lirén de Angola</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus angolensis de Winton, 1897,</p><p>Caconda, Huila Plateau, southwestern Angola.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . In 1939, G. M. Allen recognized G. angolensis as a valid species; however, J. R. Ellerman andcolleagues in 1953 listed it as a subspecies of G. platyops, and H. Genest-Villard in 1978 arranged G. angolensis as a subspecies of G. murinus . In 1974 and 1978, W. F. H. Ansell recognized that morphology and ecology of the north-western Zambian population of G. angolensis was distinct, although following Ellerman and colleagues, he considered the population to be a subspecies and identified it as G. platyops parvulus—a position followed by M. E. Holden in 1993. Subsequent study oflargeseries of specimens and preliminary multivariate analyses led Holden to conclude in 2005 and 2013 that these populations are consistently separable from G. platyops, G. rupicola, and G. murinus based on cranial morphology; she thus recognized G. angolensis as a valid species and agreed with Ansell’s hypothesis that these populations are probably aligned with G. microtis . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. C &amp; SC Angola, and NW Zambia.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 79-112 mm, tail 70-96 mm, ear 14-5-18 mm, hindfoot 17-20 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. No sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage of the Angolan African Dormouse varies from drab medium brown, medium brown with rufous or golden hue, to dark brown. Some individuals have darkening of dorsal pelage toward midline of head and back due to coalescence of dark guard hairs. Texture of dorsal pelage is soft,sleek, and thick; fur is moderately long (rump hairs 8 mm and guard hairs up to 12 mm). Ventral pelage white or cream lightly suffused with gray. Cheeks are cream or white, forming part of pale lateral stripe that extends from cheeks to shoulders. Sides of body appear paler, and dorsal pelage is clearly demarcated from ventral pelage. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage but becomesslightly paler toward snout. Most individuals have conspicuous eye mask that narrowly encircles eyes and extends from eyes to muzzle. Ears are brown, large, rounded, and usually accented by cream post-auricular patches. Hindfeet are white, or white with dark metatarsal streak, c.19% of head-body length. Tail is moderately long, ¢.80% of head—body length; tail hairs are shorter at base, 5—10 mm, and longerat tail tip, up to 33 mm. Tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, except that white hairs are mixed throughout length of tail. Tail tip is conspicuously white. Skull is long and robust, with highly inflated auditory bullae. Greatest length of skull is 26:3-30-8 mm, zygomatic breadth is 14-4-16-6 mm, upper tooth row length is 2:9-3-5 mm. External and cranial measurements are from specimens from Kabompo and Zambezi (formerly Balovale), Zambia. Chromosome number is not known, although karyotype of 2n = 54 recorded from Zambia may apply to the Angolan African Dormouse. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. In Angola, many Angolan African Dormice have been collected from the Huila Plateau, an area that forms the Central Plateau Biogeographic Region comprised of moist, deciduous broadleaf woodlands and savannas dominated by trees such as miombo ( Brachystegia), muchesa ( Julbernardia), and doka ( Isoberlinia), all Fabaceae, interspersed with grassland. Within this region, individuals were obtained in trees from localities in or near wetter miombo woodland of dry woodland interspersed with dambos (seasonally flooded grassy marshes or pans); some individuals were captured in abandoned beehives. In Zambia, specimen records indicate that most individuals were collected in wetter miombo woodland and dry evergreen broadleaf ( Cryptosepalum, Fabaceae) forest. Individuals were also been captured in human dwellings. It occurs at elevations of 1000-2000 m.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The Angolan African Dormouse is probably omnivorous. One individual captured in Angola had eaten tree grubs and fruit of parasitic growth on trees and another was caught in a trap baited with meat.</p><p>Breeding. Littersize is probably 3-5 young. Young might be born in late February to early March.</p><p>Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Angolan African Dormice are probably arboreal because most specimens have been captured in trees or in woodland. They are thought to be solitary except for females with lactating or recently weaned young. It has been stated that they are aggressive.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. This classification of the Angolan African Dormouse is due to uncertainty about its taxonomic status, limits of its distribution, biology, and potential threats. It occurs in the Angolan Miombo Woodland ecoregion classified as vulnerable and in the Zambezian Cryptosepalum Dry Forest ecoregion classified as critical/endangered in 2015 by World Wildlife Fund; the two main evergreen Cryptosepalum forest blocks are located north and south of the Kabompo River, and together constitute the largest area of tropical evergreen forest in Africa outside the equatorial zone. Both ecoregions are sparsely inhabited by humans due to nutrient-poorsoils, but conservation in post-war Angola is low priority and inadequately funded. Populations of some large Angolan mammals had been decimated during the war; effects on small mammal populations have not been documented. Conservation and assessment efforts are hindered by poor security and presence of land mines. Fuel shortages have resulted in clear cutting of miombo woodlands for firewood and charcoal production.</p><p>Bibliography. Allen, G.M. (1939), Ansell (1963, 1974, 1978), du Bocage (1890), Chubb (1909), Coetzee et al. (2008a), Corti et al. (2005), Dean (2000), Ellerman et al. (1953), Genest-Villard (1978), Hill &amp; Carter (1941), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Huntley &amp; Matos (1992), Monard (1935), Rodrigues et al. (2015), White (1983), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC7DD07CCC8F59FFA9BF553	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC0DD07C96FF549F6BEF771.text	9B215C43FFC0DD07C96FF549F6BEF771.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus christyi Dollman 1914	<div><p>5.</p><p>Christy’s African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus christyi</p><p>French: Loir de Christy / German: Christy-Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Christy</p><p>Other common names: Christy's Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus christyi Dollman, 1914,</p><p>Mambaka, DR Congo.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . This species is morphologically similar to some named forms currently synonymized under G. murinus, some of which occur in areas adjacent to this species, such as vulcanicus from the Virunga Mountains. Other named forms are synonymized under G. murinus that occur in adjacent areas are morphologically distinct, such as soleatus, from the Ruwenzori Mountains. As noted by D. A. Schlitter and colleagues in 1985, the Yalosemba, DR Congo, series is larger and differs in certain features from northeastern DR Congo population. In 1996 and 2005, M. E. Holden provided detailed discussion of taxonomy. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. NE DR Congo, N &amp; E the Congo and Lualaba rivers, and one locality in SW Cameroon (Lolodorf).</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 86-107 mm, tail 73-95 mm, ear 12-17 mm, hindfoot 16-20 mm. No information regarding weight or sexual dimorphism has been reported for this species. Dorsal pelage of Christy’s African Dormice is medium brown, rufous, or golden brown, with soft,silky, and moderately thick texture (rump hairs 6-9 mm, guard hairs up to 11 mm). Ventral pelage is gray washed with white, and dorsal and ventral pelage colors are not clearly delineated. Eyes are large, and eye mask is usually conspicuous. Cheeks are usually white. Ears are brown, large, and rounded, and postauricular patches are not present. Hindfeet are white, with dark metatarsal streak. Tail is moderately long, ¢.82% of head-body length, with shorter hairs at the base, 3-5 mm, and longer hairs at the tip, up to 21 mm. Tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, and tail tip is not white. Greatest length of skull is 26-7-29-7 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-3-16-7 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-3-3 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are based on specimens from DR Congo. Chromosome number is not known. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + I abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Primary tropical lowland and submontane rainforest at elevations of 400-1000 m. Most records of Christy’s African Dormouse are from lowland evergreen and semi-evergreen rainforest that transitions eastward to submontane rainforest as elevation rises toward the Albertine Rift. Those from Cameroon inhabit Atlantic equatorial coastal forest, comprised of predominantly evergreen, multilayered lowland forest, with tall trees and canopy heights reaching up to 60 m.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Christy’s African Dormouse probably consumes an energy-rich diet of arthropods, fruit, seeds and nuts, and occasionally small vertebrates.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Christy’s African Dormice are 2-3 young. In January, one female was pregnant with three embryos; also in January, two young with closed eyes were found together in a nest. In September, on two separate occasions, two young with open eyes were found together in nests.</p><p>Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but Christy’s African Dormouse is probably nocturnal.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Christy's African Dormice are arboreal and thought to nest in hollow trees. The few existing specimens in museums suggest that it is not common.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Christy’s African Dormouse is found in a region of extensive suitable habitat that does not appear to be immediately threatened; population trend was classified as unknown, due to little information regarding relative abundance, population size, and trends. Based on numbers of museum specimens, Christy’s African Dormouse is not abundant; furthermore,its ability to tolerate modifications of habitat has not been studied. Recent conflicts in neighboring Rwanda, Burundi, and parts of eastern DR Congo have resulted in the influx of many refugees, particularly in the east where Christy's African Dormouse has most often been found. Refugees have cleared large amounts of forest in certain areas for subsistence agriculture and other activities, especially in the eastern sector. Potential threats include large-scale human population movements, logging, and other degradation offorest, especially in north-eastern DR Congo.</p><p>Bibliography. CBFP (2005), Debroux et al. (2007), Grubb &amp; Schlitter (2008a), Hatt (1940), Holden (1996b, 2005, 2013), Katuala et al. (2005), Robbins &amp; Schlitter (1981), Schlitter et al. (1985), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC0DD07C96FF549F6BEF771	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC0DD06CC66F76BFC00F840.text	9B215C43FFC0DD06CC66F76BFC00F840.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus johnstoni Thomas 1989	<div><p>6.</p><p>Johnston's African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiwrus johnstoni</p><p>French: Loir de Johnston / German: Johnston-Bilch / Spanish: Lirén de Johnston</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus johnstoni Thomas, 1898,</p><p>Zomba, southern Malawi.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . W. F. H. Ansell and R. J. Dowsett in 1988, Ansell in 1989, D. C. D. Happold and M. Happold in 1989, and M. E. Holden in 1993 synonymized G. johnston: under G. kelleni . Examination and comparisons of museum specimens (including all holotypes) and preliminary multivariate analyses by M. E. Holden in 2013 indicate that G. johnstoni is a valid species. Morphologically, it appears closely related to G. lorraineus and distinct from G. kelleni . In 2005 and 2013, Holden retained G. johnston: as a valid species, pending further revision of the genus. Few specimens exist that can be attributed to G. johnstoni with certainty. If future research indicates that G. johnston: and G. lorraineus are conspecific, the latter would be a junior synonym of G. johnstoni; this would substantially modify and enlarge the distribution of what is now considered G. johnstoni . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. S Malawi. Distributional limits are not known.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head—body 69-84 mm,tail 65-75-5 mm, ear 11-12 mm, hindfoot 15-17 mm. No weight or sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage ofJohnston's African Dormouse is reddish brown, texture is soft but not piled, and fur is short (rump hairs 5-6 mm, guard hairs up to 8-9 mm). Ventral pelage ofis slate gray, moderately suffused with buff or cream; chin and chest area of two individuals had more orange color on chin and chest. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are not clearly delineated. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage. Cheeks are gray or gray suffused with cream.</p><p>Eyes are large, and eye mask is inconspicuous, consisting of thin narrow dark brown rings encircling eyes. Ears are brown, short, and rounded; postauricular patches are either absent or inconspicuous. Hindfeet are cream, with dark metatarsal streak and somewhat long, ¢.22% of head-body length. Tail is long, ¢.92% of head-body length; tail color from base to tip generally matches that of dorsal pelage and is either uniform in color or may have sparse white hairs sporadically mixed in; tail tip is not conspicuously white. Hairs are shorter at base of tail, 2-3 mm, and longer at tip, up to 19 mm. Tail appears splayed because hairs project laterally. Skull is short and broad, with relatively short rostrum and moderately vaulted braincase. Greatest length of skull is 23-3-23-9 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-6-14-1 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-3-3-5 mm. External and cranial measurements based on specimens from southern Malawi. Chromosome number is not known. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Johnston's African Dormice occur at elevations up to 1500 m, within the World Wildlife Fund South Malawi Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaic ecoregion that forms part of the Afro-montane archipelago. They have been captured in the Shire Highlands, an area within this ecoregion characterized by submontane forests, miombo ( Brachystegia, Fabaceae) woodlands, farmlands, tobacco fields, and secondary growth.</p><p>Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Breeding. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but Johnston’s African Dormouse is probably nocturnal.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Johnston's African Dormouse is probably arboreal and solitary. It is rarely encountered, and few specimens exist in museums, suggesting densities are low in Malawi. An individual was captured in a farmhouse and another was captured in a house surrounded by ornamental gardens, indicating thatJohnston's African Dormice may opportunistically nest in human dwellings.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There is a lack of data concerning geographical limits ofJohnston's African Dormouse,its natural history, and potential threats. An integrative systematic revision that incorporates molecular and morphological data comparingJohnston's African Dormouse with Lorraine’s African Dormouse ( G. lorraineus) and Kellen’s African Dormouse ( G. kelleni) is needed to better assess distributions, habitat associations, and conservation status. In 2015, World Wildlife Fund classified the South Malawi Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaic ecoregion in which Johnston's African Dormouse occurs as critical/endangered due loss of natural vegetation from agricultural activities, especially those associated with tea plantations, and forestry practices such as planting and managing large areas of pine and eucalyptus.</p><p>Bibliography. Ansell (1989), Ansell &amp; Dowsett (1988), Happold &amp; Happold (1989a, 1989b, 1997 1998), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Schlitter (2008a), White (1983), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC0DD06CC66F76BFC00F840	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC1DD06C9CEF845F9FBF24E.text	9B215C43FFC1DD06C9CEF845F9FBF24E.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus kelleni (Reuvens 1890)	<div><p>7.</p><p>Kellen’s African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus kelleni</p><p>French: Loir de Kellen / German: Kellen-Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Kellen</p><p>Other common names: Kellen's Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Eliomys kelleni Reuvens, 1890),</p><p>“Damara-land,” Mossamedes District, south-western Angola. Modified by C. L. Reuvens to “Damara-land” in “Stud West Afrika” (= Namibia). Corrected by J. E. Hill and T. D. Carter in 1941 to “Damaraland” in south-western Angola.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . In 1993, M. E. Holden recognized three populations of small savanna African dormice as distinct species (under G. kelleni, G. parvus, and G. olga). As noted by Holden in 2013, preliminary morphometric analyses of cranial measurements that included type specimens did not support recognition of separate species within this size grade. This is likely due to the predominantly small sample sizes from each locality, poor condition of many specimens, and inadequate sampling over the vast distribution of this species. Future systematic revisions integrating molecular data will most probably reveal that at least three separate species are contained in what is now recognized as G. kelleni . In 1985, D. A. Schlitter and colleagues discussed taxonomic problems and historical treatment of this species, and pointed out that G. kelleni is the oldest available scientific name. A handful of specimens from north-eastern and eastern South Africa that are currently identified as G. microtis and G. murinus in museum collections are smaller than either of those species in external and cranial measurements and may represent G. kelleni, but they have not beenincluded in analyses that allow confident identification. In 2013, Holden indicated that this species occurs in Sudan, but those specimens have been reexamined and morphologically resemble G. microtis . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. Sub-Saharan Africa, patchily in Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea Bissau E to SE Sudan, South Sudan and Somaliland (N Somalia), as far S as SW Zimbabwe W to C &amp; S Angola; it may occur in South Africa.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 75-92 mm, tail 54-81 mm, ear 14-16 mm, hindfoot 15-3-16-5 mm. No weight or sexual dimorphism reported. Body size of Kellen’s African Dormouse is smaller than other savanna species with which it is sympatric in many localities. Dorsal pelage varies in color from pale to medium brown, beige, or gray, sometimes with golden or reddish hue. Some individuals exhibit darkening toward midline due to coalescence of guard hairs. Ventral pelage is predominantly white or cream; gray bases of ventral hairs are slightly to moderately visible. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage, sometimes paler toward muzzle. Cheeks are cream or white, forming part of pale lateral stripe that extends from cheeks to shoulders. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Eyes are large, and eye mask is conspicuous; in most individuals, eyes are encircled by thick dark strips of fur extending from eyes to muzzle; in some individuals, eye mask is less evident. Ears are brown and range from medium to large; cream or white post-auricular patches are usually present. Hindfeet are white or white, with dark metatarsal streak, c.19% of head-body length. Tail is medium in length, ¢.82% of head-body length. Dorsaltail color usually matches that of dorsal pelage, often laterally fringed with white hairs. Tail usually has faint or conspicuous white tip and paler ventral color. Tail appears distichous or splayed in some populations (particularly in Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) because hairs project laterally. Skull is short, moderately broad, often with greatly inflated bullae; some crania are gracile, others more robust. Greatest length of skull is 23-1-24-5 mm, interorbital breadth is 4 mm, zygomatic breadth is 12:9-14-1 mm, and upper tooth row length is 2-8-3 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are based on specimens from Zambezi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Chromosome numberis 2n = 70. Karyotypes of two individualslisted as Graphiurus sp. by N. Corti and colleagues in 2005 may apply to this species complex. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + I abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Woodland savanna,riverine woodland, rocky areas including caves, disturbed areas, disturbed secondary forest, and human dwellings at elevations from sea level up to elevations of at least 1524 m. Kellen’s African Dormice inhabit parts of Sahel Savanna, Sudan Savanna, Guinea Savanna, Somalia-Masai Bushland, and Zambezian Woodland Biotic Zones. Specimens have been captured in or near doum palms ( Hyphaene thebaica, Arecaceae) and some pea family trees such as thorn ( Acacia, Fabaceae) and miombo ( Brachystegia, Fabaceae). In East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, one individual was captured in secondary forest with sparse understory ¢.170 m from forest edge on a buttress of a large canopy tree, and another individual was collected on a 15cm diameter vine running from ground to canopy. When evaluating the variety of microhabitats tolerated by Kellen’s African Dormice,it is important to consider that more than one valid species is likely contained within this taxon.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Kellen’s African Dormice are probably omnivorous. In Somalia, one individual was caught in a trap baited with fresh meat; in Malawi, two young individuals were captured with fresh banana.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes are 2-4 young. Young individuals and lactating females have been found in many months of the year throughout the distribution; however, not enough data are available to allow any conclusions about reproductive seasonality or strategy. Scattered information from specimen labels includes locality, breeding condition, and month of capture as follows: in Senegal, one subadult in July; in Ivory Coast, one subadult in August; in Benin, several subadults in April; in Kenya, pregnant females in November-December, and subadults in November and April; in Zimbabwe, lactating females in December and subadults in April; in NW Zambia, lactating females in September—October and subadults in January; and in Angola, subadults in October. In north-eastern Tanzania, one male was captured in July with abdominal testes.</p><p>Activity patterns. Kellen’s African Dormice are thought to be nocturnal.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kellen’s African Dormice are predominantly arboreal, partly terrestrial, and probably solitary. They frequently nest in savanna tree cavities or crevices under loose bark. Two nest holes were 0-5 m and 1 m aboveground according to specimen labels; one nest was constructed of leaves and grass. Several individuals were captured in nests of weaver birds ( Ploceidae), thorn trees ( Acacia), and abandoned mud swallow’s nests—one located on the roof of a cave and another under an overhang of large rocks. It has been reported that Kellen’s African Dormice sometimes use abandoned spider (Stegodyphys sp., Eresidae) nests and beehives. A few individuals have been caught in woodpiles, roofs of African huts, and pantries. Males are apparently solitary, although two adult pregnant females were captured in the same abandoned swallow’s nest with one male according to specimen labels. Females are likely usually solitary; lactating females are often captured with young. Few estimates of abundance are available, but in Ivory Coast, Kellen’s African Dormice comprised 1-7% of muroid and gliroid rodents captured in Sudanian savanna and 3-5% of muroid and gliroid rodents captured in Guinean savanna. It is uncommon at most localities, although large series from certain localities such as central Angola and north-western Zambia suggest that it may be common in certain parts ofits distribution. There are no estimates of density. Captive Kellen’s African Dormice have a vocal repertoire of at least 4-6 different sound types, including twitters, chirps, “kecker/shrieks,” and click-like noises. Twitters, recorded from males and females, seem to be associated with non-aggressive behavior; both males and females emit kecker/ shrieks that appear to occur during agonistic interactions; these sounds may function as aggressive, defensive, or threatening calls. Frequency components of vocalizations ranged from c.1 kHz to well into the ultrasonic range above 20 kHz.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Kellen’s African Dormouse has a wide distribution and presumably a large population size, and it occursin several protected regions. Future systematic revisions will likely reveal that it is a complex of several species, and within the complex, certain populations may be at risk or nearly extirpated.</p><p>Bibliography. Ansell (1978, 1989), Ansell &amp; Dowsett (1988), Corti et al. (2005), Dobigny et al. (2002), Gautun et al. (1991), Grubb et al. (1998), Happold &amp; Lock (2013), Hill (1941), Hill &amp; Carter (1941), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Hollister (1919), Hutterer &amp; Peters (2001), Lawrence &amp; Loveridge (1953), Roberts (1951), Schlitter &amp; Grubb (2015), Schlitter et al. (1985), Stanley &amp; Goodman (2011), Stanley, Goodman et al. (2000), Stanley, Rogers et al. (2005).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC1DD06C9CEF845F9FBF24E	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC2DD05C96DFE9FF7BEF3E7.text	9B215C43FFC2DD05C96DFE9FF7BEF3E7.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus lorraineus Dollman 1910	<div><p>8.</p><p>Lorraine’s African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus lorraineus</p><p>French: Loir africain / German: Lorraine-Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Lorraine</p><p>Other common names: Lorrain Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus lorraineus Dollman, 1910,</p><p>Molegbwe, south of Setema Rapids, Welle (Uele) River, Democratic Republic of the Congo.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . Originally described as a valid species, G. lorraineus has been considered historically as either a subspecies or synonym of G. murinus by many authors. In 2009, M. E. Holden and R. S. Levine discussed the considerable variation in pelage color and cranial traits existing among populations of G. lorraineus throughout its broad distribution, and stated that future research will likely uncover more than one species contained in whatis now recognized as a single species. They considered “true” G. lorraineus to contain populations in eastern DR Congo, southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. They placed other populations that seem to be aligned with G. lorraineus but exhibit differences in pelage and cranial traits within a “ G. lorraineus complex” including populations from Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, south-western Cameroon, Central African Republic, north-eastern Angola, southern DR Congo, and northern Zambia. Holden in 2013 stated that G. lorraineus might be closely related to G. johnstoni . If future research indicates that the two species are conspecific, G. lorraineus would become a junior synonym of G. johnstoni . Samples of montane populations in Cameroon exhibit morphological and ecological differences compared with true G. lorraineus and other populations within the G. lorraineus species complex, and likely represent one or more separate species, as has been documented for other rodents occurring in the Cameroon Volcanic Line; for example, P. J. Taylor and colleagues in 2014 documented that two montane populations of African vlei rats ( Otomys) from this region represent separate endemic species. A comprehensive systematic revision ofthis species integrating molecular and morphometric data is needed to uncover and resolve species-level diversity within this taxon. Specimens initially identified as G. lorraineus from Gambia are now recognized as G. kelleni as explained by Holden in 2005. The western distributional limit for this species is Sierra Leone; specimens determined as “ G. murinus ” (presumably attributable to the named form spurrelli, which is a synonym of G. lorraineus) from wooded savanna in Senegal cannot be substantiated, and are excluded here. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. W &amp; C Africa, in two disjunct areas, from S Guinea and Sierra Leone to Ghana, and from SW Nigeria (E of Niger River) SE through Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (including Bioko I), and Gabon to Republic of the Congo, and E to SW Central African Republic, DR Congo, extreme NE Angola, and extreme NC Zambia.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 72-93 mm, tail 54-74 mm, ear 9-15 mm, hindfoot 14-19 mm; weight, 12-24 g. No sexual dimorphism. Lorraine’s African Dormouse externally resembles the Thick-tailed African Dormice ( G. crassicaudatus) but is easily distinguished by cranial characteristics. Dorsal pelage of Lorraine’s African Dormice is usually reddish brown, sometimes copper, although some individuals are paler and have sandy brown coat color. Furis soft, short, and not piled; rump hairs are 5-6 mm, and guard hairs are up to 9 mm. Ventral pelage is dark gray washed with cream or ocher, and dorsal and ventral pelage colors are not clearly delineated. Eyes are large, and eye mask is conspicuous in some individuals, although others only have narrow dark eye-rings. Cheeks are dark gray washed with ocher, or predominantly cream. Ears are brown, short, and rounded; post-auricular patches are usually not present, but some individuals from Cameroon have white post-auricular patches. Hindfeet are usually white with dark metatarsal streak. Tail is moderately long, c.79% of head-body length. Tail hairs are shorter at base, 2-3 mm, with longer hairs toward tip, up to 21 mm. Tail usually appears distichous because tail hairs project laterally in many individuals. Tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage and is uniform in color, with sparse or no white hairs mixed in, and usually without white tip. Greatest length of skull is 22:7-26-1 mm, zygomatic breadth is 12:2-14-9 mm, and upper tooth row length is 2:8-3-4 mm. External and cranial measurements are from DR Congo specimens. Chromosome number from Ivory Coast identified as the Forest African Dormouse ( G. murinus) probably represents this species and has a karyotype of 2n = 70. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Rainforest, Guinea Savanna, northern part of Zambezian Woodland Biotic Zones, and rainforest-savanna mosaics from sea level up to elevations of 2600 m. Lorraine’s African Dormouse is found in gallery forests, forest margins, woodland savanna, and disturbed areas including cassava, banana, oil palm, cocoa, Palmyra palm ( Borassus, Arecaceae), pineapple, and pawpaw farms, and occupied and abandoned buildings. In Sierra Leone, these dormice have often been found in African oil palms ( Elaeis guineensis) and inhabited human dwellings. In Ivory Coast, the plant Microdesmis (Pandaceae), commonly found in secondary and disturbed forest, was associated with areas where individuals were caught. It has been reported that these dormice inhabit secondary and disturbed forest, as well as human dwellings, and that they were never trapped in primary forest. In south-western Nigeria, F. M. Angelici and L. Luiselli in 2005 captured 18 individuals, identified as “ G. murinus .” Two were captured in primary rainforest, six in secondary rainforest, and five in cultivated areas along margins of secondary forest. Voucher specimens were not collected, and because the Thick-tailed African Dormouse and Lorraine’s African Dormouse externally resemble each other,it is possible that the two examples from primary rainforest represent the Thick-tailed African Dormouse, a species known to inhabit primary forest. In Cameroon, M. Eisentraut in 1963 trapped individuals in montane forest at elevations of 1700-2100 m, but these populations (identified as haedulus) may represent a different species. In north-eastern DR Congo, P. G. B.</p><p>Katuala and colleagues in 2005 reported that one individual was collected in the Ituri Forest along a trap line set in primary forest, secondary forest, and fallow land..</p><p>Food and Feeding. Lorraine’s African Dormouse is probably omnivorous, consuming arthropods, fruit, nuts, and seeds. In Liberia, Central African Republic, and Zaire, individuals have been caught in banana plantations, where they reportedly ate the fruit.</p><p>They have also been caught in areas where Palmyra palm, papaya, Microdesmas, cassava, cocoa, African oil palm, plantain, raffia palm ( Raphia), and yam are common. The type specimen label of haedulus (a synonym of G. lorraineus) stated that the individual was “caught in bushes eating seeds of Piper subpeltatum,” a species of pepper ( Piperaceae). Four specimens were taken from a nest containing remains of several hundred earwigs and an individual was observed running andjumping after termites, capturing several of them in midair. Lorraine’s African Dormice have been captured with nuts from the African oil palm used for bait.</p><p>Breeding. Littersizes of Lorraine’s African Dormice are 2-7 young; 2—4 young or embryos are most often reported. Lactating females are often caught with young. In DR Congo, one adult female was noted on a specimen label to have been found in a nest with three “well-grown” young, indicating that offspring may stay in the nest past weaning. In Ivory Coast, one female was captured with six naked young and another with a litter of seven (months of capture were not recorded). These two litters are the largest recorded for Lorraine’s African Dormouse. In Ghana and Cameroon, pregnant females have been collected in January, March, and July. In Ghana, a lactating female with three placental scars was captured in November.</p><p>Activity patterns. Lorraine’s African Dormice are nocturnal. They enter facultative torpor to conserve energy under certain conditions. In 1969, F. Lachiver and F. Petter found that individuals collected from Central African Republic became lethargic when experiencing sudden shifts from high to low ambient temperatures, or when deprived of food at low temperatures. In 1962, Eisentraut was unable to induce torpor in individuals collected from Cameroon.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Lorraine’s African Dormice are predominantly arboreal, semi-terrestrial, and likely predominantly solitary. They are common compared with other species of forest-dwelling African dormice. They are apparently common and widespread in forested areas of Sierra Leone. At Lamto,Ivory Coast, they comprised 0-77% of all muroid and gliroid captures, but in a later survey at the same site, they comprised 7-6% of captures. At Foro, Ivory Coast, they were 2:1% of rodent captures. In southern Nigeria, excluding the two specimens obtained in primary forest discussed above, Lorraine’s African Dormouse comprised 6-7% of all arboreal small mammal captures and 0-69% of all rodent captures. In 2014, they accounted for 1-8% of rodents captured on Mount Oku, Cameroon. In the Ituri Forest, north-eastern DR Congo, out of 1544 rodents collected, only one Lorraine’s African Dormouse was obtained. Nests of Lorraine’s African Dormice have been found in tree cavities in gallery forest and savanna trees near forest, disturbed areas, rocky caves, among epiphytic ferns, within a cocoa pod, and in or near occupied buildings. In Sierra Leone, individuals were caught in spherical nests constructed of pappus according to specimen labels. In Central Africa, R. T. Hatt in 1940 described an unused swallow nest that was occupied by an adult female and young, as well as an active nest of paper wasps; dormice had to crawl upside down on a nearly horizontal stone surface to enter it. In 1963, Eisentraut caught specimens of montane populations in Cameroon in traps set 6-10 m high on large diagonal or horizontal branches near holes in trees; individuals at this locality were never trapped on the ground. This species is said to be aggressive and bite voraciously; one individual observed in captivity moved its tail up and down with hairs spread wide, and when excited, it chattered “gak gak” repeated 4-5 times in succession.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Lorraine’s African Dormouse has an expansive distribution, probably a large population size, likely occurs in several protected areas, seems to tolerate habitat alteration, and is probably not declining fast enough to qualify for inclusion in a more threatened category. Ability to inhabit secondary growth, disturbed areas, and buildings likely indicates that they are less sensitive to habitat modification than species associated with intact forests or undisturbed habitat. Nevertheless, Lorraine’s African Dormouse probably is a complex ofseveral species, and within the complex, certain populations may be at risk or nearly extirpated. For example, if the Cameroon montane population is a valid species, then its habitat is under severe population pressure, overgrazing by cattle and goats, harvesting offirewood, and agriculture; the area also faces increased trapping of large and small mammals for bushmeatto be sold in local markets.</p><p>Bibliography. Aellen (1965), Amori &amp; Gippoliti (2002), Angelici &amp; Luiselli (2005), Denys et al. (2014), Dosso (1975), Eisentraut (1962, 1963, 1973, 1975), Genest-Villard (1978), Grubb et al. (1998), Happold &amp; Lock (2013), Hatt (1940), Heim de Balsac (1967), Heim de Balsac &amp; Lamotte (1968), Holden (1996b, 2005, 2013), Holden &amp; Levine (2009), Jeffrey (1973), Katuala et al. (2005), Lachiver &amp; Petter (1969), Robbins &amp; Schlitter (1981), Rosevear (1969), Schlitter &amp; Grubb (2008a), Schlitter et al. (1985), Schouteden (1946), Taylor et al. (2014), Tranier &amp; Dosso (1979), Traoré et al. (1980), Verheyen &amp; Verschuren (1966).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC2DD05C96DFE9FF7BEF3E7	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC2DD04CC76F3F9F8A0F837.text	9B215C43FFC2DD04CC76F3F9F8A0F837.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus microtis (Noack 1887)	<div><p>9.</p><p>Noack’s African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus microtis</p><p>French: Loir a oreilles courtes / German: Kleinohrbilch / Spanish: Liron de Noack</p><p>Other common names: Large Savanna African Dormouse, Small-eared African Dormouse, Small-eared Dormouse, Woodland Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Eliomys microtis Noack, 1887,</p><p>Qua Mpala, Marungu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . The type specimen of G. microtis has been lost, although illustrations of cranium, lower Jaw, and cheekteeth and tooth row measurements provided by T. Noack in 1887 in his original description, agree with morphology of the medium-sized savanna dormouse that inhabits surrounding mopane ( Brachystegia) woodland. In 1939, G. M. Allen listed this savanna-dwelling dormouse under G. murinus murinus . In 1940, J. R.</p><p>Ellerman listed G. microtis within the G. murinus group, indicating that the taxon did not warrant specific status, and consequently in 1953 Ellerman and colleagues listed this dormouse as a subspecies, G. murinus microtis . W. F. H. Ansell in 1960 and 1978, X. Misonne in 1974, and H. Genest-Villard in 1978 followed this arrangement. Ansell later in 1989 considered G. microtis to be a valid species based on morphological and ecological differences, a position endorsed and expanded upon by M. E. Holden in 1993, 2005, and 2013. Due to the fact that many authors did not historically recognize G. macrotis as a valid species, data given in their reports are thus composite for both species; when such publications are cited herein, only sections relevant to G. microtis as outlined in this account are pertinent. Two or more separate species are almost certainly contained within this taxon. For example, chromosome differences points to divergence of populations; chromosome number of 2n = 46 was reported from a South African population by D. N. McFadyen via personal communication, but a karyotype of 2n = 52 was provisionally assigned to specimens collected on the Nyika Plateau, Malawi, by W. N. Chitaukali and colleagues in 2001 and H. Burda and W. N. Chitaukali in 2006, who indicated that the Nyika Plateau population likely represents a different species. An integrative revision incorporating molecular sampling, morphological, and other data is required to definitively determine which names apply to which populations over the vast geographic range. Synonymies and distributions of Holden 2005 and 2013 are followed; precise geographical limits have yet to be determined in certain areas. Late Quaternary fossils of G. microtis have been recorded from central Zambia by D. M. Avery in 1996 and in Northern Cape Province, South Africa, by Avery and G. Avery in 2011. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. Sub-Saharan Africa, in N Cameroon, SW Chad, E &amp; W Sudan, Eritrea and C Ethiopia, S through East Africa and parts of E Central Africa to extreme E &amp; SE Angola, NW Namibia, Botswana, and N South Africa and Swaziland.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 75-115 mm, tail 62-86 mm, ear 13-21 mm, hindfoot 14-20 mm; weight 17-6-42-5 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage of Noack’s African Dormouse is medium brown, beige, or gray, sometimes darker with golden or reddish hue, or sometimes pale; some individuals have darkening of pelage toward midline due to coalescence of guard hairs; texture is usually sleek but thick and somewhat piled in some populations (rump hairs 6-8 mm, guard hairs up to 13 mm). Ventral pelage is usually white or cream, slightly or moderately suffused with gray. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage, sometimes paler toward muzzle. Cheeks are cream or white, forming part of pale lateral stripe that extends from cheeks to shoulders. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Eyes are large, and eye mask is conspicuous. Ears are brown, medium or large, and rounded, with cream or white post-auricular patches present. Hindfeet are white, or white with dark metatarsal streak c.17% of head-body length. Tail is moderately long, ¢.76% of head-body length; hairs are shorter at base, 5-8 mm, and longer at tip, up to 26 mm. Tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage; white hairs are usually mixed throughouttail, and tip is usually conspicuously white. Skull is moderately long, usually with relatively long incisive foramina and relatively large auditory bullae. Greatest length of skull is 25-5-29-1 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-9-16-2 mm, and upper tooth row length is 2:9-3-4 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are from Zimbabwe specimens. Chromosome number 2n = 46 reported from north-eastern South Africa. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + | abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Usually associated with woodland savanna habitats from sea level to elevations of ¢.1400 m, within the following biotic zones: widespread in Zambezian Woodland, with extensions into parts of Eastern Raiforest-Savanna Mosaic, Guinea Savanna, and Sudan Savanna ecoregions. Noack’s African Dormice occur in woodland savanna, riverine woodland, rocky areas, disturbed areas, and human dwellings. Individuals have been captured in or near aloes, willows, upaca (Uapaca kirkiana, Euphorbiaceae), several trees in the pea family such as thorn ( Acacia sp.), camel thorn (A. erioloba giraffae), Zambezian teak or mukusi ( Baikiaea sp.), mopane ( Colophospermum mopane), miombo ( Brachystegia sp.), and seringa ( Burkea sp.), and leadwood (Conbretum imberbe, Combretaceae), palms ( Hyphaene sp.), and buffalo thorn ( Ziziphus mucronata, Rhamnaceae). They have also been found in tall grass near shrubs and trees and piles of debris deposited by high floods near seasonally dry rivers. Individuals have been observed on a vertical rock face at the entrance of a cave situated on a rocky hillside and captured among rocks in or near caves and on rocky slopes. Noack’s African Dormouse is also common in disturbed areas, including buildings, fields, gardens, and near rubbish dumps.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Noack’s African Dormouse is probably omnivorous. Stomach contents have included remnants of buffalo thorn fruits; seeds of thorn trees; and insects including large moths, rose beetles, millipedes (Doratogonusflavifilis), and a small bird.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Noack’s African Dormice are 3-7 young. Three to four embryos or young are most often reported. In Uganda, a pregnant female was captured in November, and two lactating females were captured in August. In Malawi, a pregnant female was collected in October. In Botswana, a pregnant female was obtained in April. In Zimbabwe, pregnant females have been collected in February, April, June, and November-December.</p><p>Activity patterns. Noack’s African Dormice are probably nocturnal and have been known to hibernate during cold months in Namibia.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Noack’s African Dormice are primarily arboreal, partly terrestrial, and probably solitary, except lactating females that are often caught with young. Although published faunal surveys have not estimated densities Noack’s African Dormouse is locally common throughout much ofits distribution. A recent study in southern Ethiopia found them to be one ofthe least common rodent species, with an estimated density of 0-51 ind/ha; individuals were identified as the Forest African Dormouse but likely were Noack’s African Dormouse based on location and habitat data. Densities in south-western Tanzania were likewise reported as low in 2005 by R. H. Makundi and colleagues, again as originally reported for the Forest African Dormouse. In Malawi, Ansell and R. J. Dowsett in 1988 found Noack’s African Dormouse to be the most frequently encountered dormouse and stated thatit is widely distributed. Noack’s African Dormice frequently nest in crevices under bark or in holes in savanna trees. Entrances to most nesting holes are circular and are commonly situated 1-3 m aboveground, although some have been found up to 6 m. Nests are composed of soft plant material or grass and sometimes feathers. Nests located in aloe plants, in a cave, and among rocks have been recorded in rocky habitats. Abandoned birds’ nests are sometimes used; one individual was found inside the nest of a lesser striped swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) under a large rock; the nest contained feathers, wood debris, grass and scales from a snake. Several adults and young have been found in nests of weaver birds, in huts and houses, often in thatched roofs, sometimes in pantries or even in switch boxes of water pumps or transformers where they have caused short circuits in electrical supplies. Nesting information for this species is sometimeslisted by authors as pertaining to the Forest African Dormouse or another species, but attributable to Noack’s African Dormouse.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Noack’s African Dormice has large distribution and presumably a large population; it occurs in several protected areas and seems to tolerate habitat modification; populations are probably not declining fast enough to qualify for a more threatened category. Population status was classified as unknown, with annotation that the species is probably common. Noack’s African Dormouse may be uncommon in certain parts ofits distribution, such as southern Ethiopia. If future systematic revisions reveal that certain populations of Noack’s African Dormouse represent valid species, as is likely, their conservation status will need to be reassessed.</p><p>Bibliography. Addisu &amp; Bekele (2015), Allen, G.M. (1939), Ansell (1960, 1974, 1978, 1989), Ansell &amp; Dowsett (1988), Avenant (1997), Avery (1996), Avery &amp; Avery (2011), Burda &amp; Chitaukali (2006), Chitaukali et al. (2001), Coosemans (1948), De Graaff (1981), Ellerman (1940), Ellerman et al. (1953), Fitzherbert et al. (2007), Genest-Villard (1978), Happold &amp; Lock (2013), Holden (1993, 1996b, 2005, 2013), Makundi et al. (2005), Misonne (1965, 1974), Misonne &amp; Verschuren (1966), Musser &amp; Carleton (2005), Noack (1887), Pienaar et al. (1980), Rautenbach (1982), Roberts (1917), Schlitter &amp; Grubb (2008b), Sheppe &amp; Haas (1981), Shortridge (1934a), Skinner &amp; Chimimba (2005), Smithers (1971, 1983), Smithers &amp; Tello (1976), Smithers &amp; Wilson (1979), Taylor (1998), Taylor et al. (1994), Wilson (1975).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC2DD04CC76F3F9F8A0F837	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFC3DD0BCCBDF7AAFCE1F783.text	9B215C43FFC3DD0BCCBDF7AAFCE1F783.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus monardi (St. Leger 1936)	<div><p>10.</p><p>Monard’s African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus monardi</p><p>French: Loir de Monard / German: Monard-Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Monard</p><p>Other common names: Monard’'s Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Claviglis monardi St. Leger, 1936,</p><p>Kioko, 1250 m, 15 km above Dala, Tyihumbwe (Chiumbe) River, NE Angola.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . In 1936, J. St. Leger described G. monardi as anew species based on its unique pelage, large size, large auditory bullae, and proportionally small cheekteeth. G. M. Allen later included G. monardi as a subspecies of G. nagtglasii in 1939, an arrangement endorsed by H. Genest-Villard in 1978.</p><p>Most researchers such as J. R. Ellerman and colleagues in 1953, W. F. H. Ansell in 1974 and 1989, L.. W. Robbins and D. A. Schlitter in 1981, M. E. Holden in 1993 and 2005 concluded that G. monardi exhibits distinctive cranial and pelage characteristics that allow straightforward identification, and that these characteristics do not indicate close affinity with G. nagtglasii . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. C Africa, in E Angola, SW DR Congo, and NW Zambia.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 160 mm (type specimen), tail 130 mm (type specimen), ear 15-16 mm, hindfoot 21-5-22 mm. No information regarding weight or sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage of Monard’s African Dormouse is medium ocher, brown, or reddish brown; texture is sleek and glossy. Fur is long, rump hairs are 11-13 mm, and guard hairs are up to 17 mm, with many conspicuous dark brown guard hairs projecting beyond fur, giving pelage unique, shaggy appearance (more noticeable in young individuals but is also evident in adults). Most individuals exhibit darkening of dorsal pelage toward midline of head and back due to coalescence of abundant dark guard hairs. Ventral pelage is predominantly cream or buff; ventral pelage hairs have slate-gray bases and are tipped in cream or white. Chin and chest of some individuals are dark chestnut; it has been suggested that color results from staining of fur by certain ingested food items such as earwigs, but that reddish color may be inherent because it appears on young Spectacled African Dormice (G. ocularis) prior to weaning. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage, although cheeks are paler. Sides of body appear paler, and dorsal pelage is clearly demarcated from ventral pelage. Most individuals have moderately noticeable eye mask of thin dark eye-rings and dark fur that extends from eyes to muzzle. Ears are brown, moderate in length, and rounded. Cream or ocher post-auricular patches are sometimes present. Hindfeet are cream or white and somewhat short, c.14% of head-body length, sometimes with inconspicuous dark metatarsal streak. Tail is moderately long, c.81% of head-body length based on measurements of very few specimens, but a live individual photographed by R. W. Hayman in 1963 appeared to have a much longer tail. Dorsal tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, except that many white hairs are mixed in; tail thus appears fringed in white or mottled; ventral surface oftail is paler. Tail tip is white. Hairs are shorter at base of tail, 6-9 mm, and longer at tip, up to 33 mm. Skull is robust, large, and vaulted rather than flattened, with highly inflated auditory bullae. Greatest length of skull is 32:5-36-6 mm, zygomatic breadth is 18-2-21-6 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-6—4-3 mm. Cranial measurements listed are mean values from north-eastern Angola, south-western DR Congo, and north-western Zambia. Chromosome number is not known. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + I abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Intermingling of vegetation types in overlapping World Wildlife Fund ecoregions, including Angolan Miombo Woodlands, Central Zambezi Miombo Woodlands, and Southern Congolian Forest-Savanna Mosaic ecoregions at elevations of 975-1300 m. Scant habitat data are available from the few existing specimens, but most specimens have been captured from localities dominated by moist miombo ( Brachystegia, Fabaceae) woodland. In Angola, one specimen was taken in typical Rhodesiantype savanna, deeply intersected by the numerous northward flowing rivers marked by long narrow strips of gallery forest. In 1936, St. Leger gave anecdotal information obtained from Dr A. Monard, collector of the type specimen, saying that this dormouse occurs in forest, cultivated fields, and houses.</p><p>Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Breeding. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but Monard’s African Dormouse is probably nocturnal.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Monard’s African Dormouse is probably predominantly arboreal. Little is known about the social behavior of this species.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. This classification of Monard’s African Dormice is primarily due to uncertainty of its actual distribution, biology, and known threats. Populations of some large Angolan mammal species are thought to have been decimated during the war; effects on small mammal populations have not been documented. Current threats include poor security that hinders conservation and assessment efforts in Angola and DR Congo. In Angola, fuel shortages have resulted in clear-cutting of miombo woodlands for firewood and charcoal production; illegal strip mining is further degrading habitat in Lunda Sul Province.</p><p>Bibliography. Allen, G.M. (1939), Ansell (1960, 1974, 1989), Channing (1984), Dean (2000), Denyset al. (2006), Ellerman et al. (1953), Genest-Villard (1978), Hayman (1963), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Huntley &amp; Matos (1992), Robbins &amp; Schlitter (1981), Schlitter (2008b), St. Leger (1936).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFC3DD0BCCBDF7AAFCE1F783	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFCCDD0AC97FF719FE54F41C.text	9B215C43FFCCDD0AC97FF719FE54F41C.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus murinus (Desmarest 1822)	<div><p>11.</p><p>Forest African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus murinus</p><p>French: Loir murin / German: Afrikanischer Bilch / Spanish: Lirén de bosque</p><p>Other common names: Woodland Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Myoxus murinus Desmarest, 1822,</p><p>Cape Province, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . More than 75 scientific names have been proposed for African dormice; many are synonyms of either G. murinus that is usually associated with forest habitats or G. microtis that is generally associated with woodland savanna habitats. Even more confusing, in some publications covering southern and eastern African small mammals, both species are often listed together as a single species, G. murinus, but then characterized as inhabiting woodland savanna habitat usually associated with G. microtis, and in those publications the common name “Woodland Dormouse” is often used. Future systematic revisions will certainly reveal that this species is in reality a complex of several species; the taxon as currently understood simply refers to a general size grade of dormouse that occurs in forested habitats vs. those that dwell in woodland savanna. The species accounts for G. murinus and G. macrotis are thus truly composite accounts; they are necessarily generalized, are sometimes contradictory, and are a basic overview of the medium-sized dormice that inhabit much of the forest and woodland savanna habitats throughout central, eastern, and southern Africa. Molecular sampling combined with fine-tuned morphological analyses is required to definitively determine which names apply to which populations over their vast distributions; meanwhile, synonymies and distributions of M. E. Holden in 2005 and 2013 are followed herein. Publications cited under each species account may refer to this species under different names, but only sections clearly attributable to a particular species are pertinent. Despite attempts to separate locality and habitat records for G. microtis vs. G. murinus, some areas mapped based on literature records might be records of G. murinus or another species. Significant morphological and ecological geographical variation exists, but not all subspecific names can be assigned with certainty to distinctive populations. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. E &amp; S Africa, from C &amp; SW Ethiopia S patchily through W &amp; SE Kenya, E &amp; SW Uganda, W Rwanda, W Burundi, NE, NW, SE &amp; SW Tanzania, N Malawi, extreme NE Zambia, E Zimbabwe, and extreme W &amp; S Mozambique, to NE &amp; SE &amp; S South Africa, S Swaziland, and Lesotho.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 87-117 mm, tail 72-89 mm, ear 14-16 mm, hindfoot 16-19 mm; weight 24-34 g. Sexual dimorphism reported for two out of 29 cranial measurements; this is an unusual finding for African dormice. Dorsal pelage of the Forest African Dormouse varies from dark gray, grayish brown, to golden brown, sometimes with reddish or coppery hue, darkening inconspicuously toward midline in some individuals, but never exhibiting definitive mid-dorsal stripe. Fur texture is soft and silky, sometimes piled; rump hairs are 7-8 mm; and guard hairs are up to 13 mm. Ventral pelage is gray, lightly washed with white or cream. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are usually not clearly delineated. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage. Cheeks are cream or white. Eyes are large; eye mask is conspicuous in some populations, with only narrow eye-rings in others. Ears are brown, medium-sized, and rounded; post-auricular patches are usually not present. Hindfeet are usually white or cream with dark metatarsal streak, c.18% of head-body length. Tail is moderately long, ¢.79% of head-body length; tail hairs are shorter at base, 2-4 mm, and longer at tip, up to 21 mm. Tail is usually uniform in color, matching that of dorsal pelage; white hairs are sometimes mixed inconspicuously in tail, and tip is usually not white, although some populations exhibit faint white tail tip. Skull is moderately long, and auditory bullae are not inflated to moderately inflated. Greatest length of skull is 28-8-29-3 mm, zygomatic breadth is 15-16-4 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-2-3-5 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are based on specimens from South Africa, King William's Town, Pirie Forest; weight values from specimens captured at Great Fish River Nature Reserve complex, South Africa. Chromosome number is 2n = 46. Females have four pairs of nipples (1 pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Usually associated with forest habitats from sea level to elevations of ¢.4100 m, within the following biotic zones: Afro-montane and Afro-alpine in eastern and southern Africa, Highveld and Coastal Forest Mosaic ecoregions in the southern part of the range. Variety of forest types inhabited Forest African Dormice is varied and includes Afro-montane, plateaus, riverine, and coastal. They are less commonly recorded in montane grassland with large boulders or rocks, giant groundsel, or trees, and they are rarely caught in savanna or woodland. For example, in East and West Usambara mountains, Tanzania, all Forest African Dormice were captured in forest; in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, these dormice are consistently captured in riverine forest dominated by South African bushwillows ( Combretum caffrum, Combretaceae), and not in nearby. In South Africa, Forest African Dormice occupied nest boxes placed on trees at 1-1-2-7 m above the ground, and most frequently used those above 1-8 m. A separate study at the samesite in Eastern Cape, South Africa, documented that individuals were only captured in arboreal traps and never at ground level, despite placement of about equal numbers of arboreal and ground traps. Several studies indicate that habitats with a high degree of canopy cover and arboreal connectivity of trees, vines, and shrubs are preferentially selected. It has been suggested that connectivity and canopy cover may be important habitat requirements. In Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, dormice were captured in mixed forest, a swampy area, and hagenia ( Hagenia abyssinica, Rosaceae) forest. S. F. Lamani in 2011 radio-tracked 21 individuals and found that mean height of resting sites used for a South African population was 2-1 m and that resting sites on branches averaged higher than those located in tree cavities or nest boxes. At other South African localities outside of Great Fish River Nature Reserve, however, individuals were captured in dry thicket and among rocks, or in mixed habitats. A study carried out in Afro-montane forest in the Amathole Mountains, Eastern Cape, reported that 20% ofall Forest African Dormice were captured on the ground.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The Forest African Dormouse is omnivorous, predominantly insectivorous and carnivorous. Stomach contents have included insects and other invertebrates, seeds, leaves, stems, fruit, and occasionally small vertebrates. In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, stomachs contained arthropods and seeds. In a study conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, stomachs contained mostly invertebrates, plus fruits, leaves, stems, and flowers. In Eastern Cape, South Africa, Lamani in 2014 studied food remains found in nest boxes for one year and concluded that diets predominantly consisted of arthropods, especially beetles (Coleoptera) and millipedes (family Spirostrepidae only), and fruits. Over the course of the year as resources fluctuated, arthropods overwhelmingly accounted for most of dietary intake; other percentage of food items represented varied seasonally.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Forest African Dormice are 1-6 young. Most often 3-5 embryos or young are reported. In Eastern Cape, South Africa, a promiscuous mating system in which females become receptive asynchronously was documented. Breeding activity occurs during summer months (October—February) in South Africa; in Kenya, pregnant females were collected in September—-November; and in Zambia, a pregnant female was captured in July. In South Africa, females exhibiting placental scars were captured in February, and pregnant females were collected in October, December and February. In East Africa, gestation has been estimated at c.24 days.</p><p>Activity patterns. Forest African Dormice are predominantly nocturnal. They are characterized as competent thermoregulators, maintaining body temperature at 34-38°C. They enter facultative torpor and hibernation to cope with adverse environmental conditions and conserve energy. In 1991, G. T. H. Ellison and J. D. Skinner found that cold ambient temperatures of 10°C combined with a simulated winter photoperiod of ten hours of light and 14 hours of dark, induced torpor; periods of torpor exceeded 24 hours, suggesting hibernation or deep torpor under these conditions. In 1996, P. I. Webb and Skinner documented thatif experimentally deprived of food at an ambient temperature of 25°C, individuals initially decreased activity but remained euthermic. When deprived of food at an ambient temperature of 10°C, the same individuals entered torpor with greater frequency during the day as an energy saving mechanism. A population studied in winter in Eastern Cape, South Africa by N. Mzilikazi and R. M. Baxter in 2009 and Mzilikazi and colleagues in 2012 revealed that Forest African Dormice were heterothermic at least 98% and 100% ofthe days studied, respectively. Mzilikazi and Baxter reported torpor periods of up to 96 hours. Mzilikazi and colleagues later measured a mean torpor period of 32-5 hours, with the longest torpor lasting eight days and shortest torpor lasting 2-5 hours. Forest African Dormice increased body mass by 33% prior to hibernation in this study; Mzilikazi and colleagues in 2012 also correlated longer bouts of torpor and lower body temperatures with decreases in ambient temperature as winter progressed.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Forest African Dormice are primarily arboreal, although some populations inhabit rocky or boulder-strewn treeless montane grasslands and thus a more terrestrial. They are predominantly solitary, although cases of nest-box sharing have been recorded. In Eastern Cape, South Africa, 246 instances in which dormice were found in nest boxes, of which 156 (63-4%) contained single individuals and 90 (36:6%) were linked to aggregations ofat least two dormice. Female-biased sex ratios have been reported in some Southern African populations. According to specimen labels, in two separate instances, adult females were captured with two subadult males, indicating that offspring may stay in the nest past weaning; subadult nestlings following an adult female (up to eight individuals) were observed as they climbed and leapt across tree branches. In Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, they were uncommon, and a trap success of 0:25% was reported. They were uncommon compared with other rodent captures in four of six montane forests in the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania. At Chome Forest Reserve, they comprised only 0-:6%of small rodents. Forest African Dormice are fairly common and widespread in southern and eastern South Africa from Western Cape to Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa, but uncommon in Swaziland, and in Lesotho; trap success in South Africa was 0-3-4-9%. Trap success appears higher for traps set above the ground than on the ground at some study sites, and at others moderate to equal success was reported for ground vs. arboreal placement. In Afro-montane forest near Grahamstown, South Africa, trap success was 2:3% above the ground and 0-1% on the ground, and most individuals (94:5%) were captured in traps placed more than 0-5 m above the ground. In Tanzania, Forest African Dormice were captured with equal frequency with snap traps set on and above the ground; those collected on the ground were near roots or trunks oftrees. Height off the ground combined with connectivity was a significantly correlated with trap success, but height alone was not. Natural nests have also been recorded among epiphytic ferns and mosses ofgiant forest tree, in bee hives, in swallows’ nests, and, less commonly, in human. Nesting materials recorded include grass, bark, moss or lichen, sheep’s wool, and even a banana peel; in Eastern Cape, South Africa, nests in nest boxes contained woven lichen (Usnea barbata), feathers, snake skin, and even dormouse fur. On Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, a globular nest was composed ofgrass and slips of banana fronds and lined with fine grass; it was c.13 cm in diameter, with a hole in its side, and was situated c.1-5 m above the ground in a bush, according to specimen label. Home-range sizes for adult males in Eastern Cape, South Africa, averaged 3989 m?; those of adult females averaged 2091 m*. Home ranges ofadult males overlapped those of neighboring males by 62:4% and those of neighboring females by 48:2%. Males in the Eastern Cape population is not territorial and sexual receptivity in females is asynchronous; their mating system is likely promiscuous.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Forest African Dormouse has a large distribution and presumably a large population size; it occurs in several protected areas and seems to tolerate habitat alteration; and there is no evidence ofpopulations declining fast enough to qualify for inclusion in a more threatened category. Some historically recorded populations may be threatened or even extirpated, such as those in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania. Nest boxes providing suitable rest sites for Forest African Dormice have been successfully used in Eastern Cape, South Africa.</p><p>Bibliography. Allen &amp; Loveridge (1933), Ansell (1974), Avery et al. (2002), Baxter (2008), De Graaff (1981), Dippenaar et al. (1983), Ellison &amp; Skinner (1991), Happold &amp; Lock (2013), Holden (1996b, 2005, 2013), Hollister (1919), Kaplan (1995), Kingdon (1974), Krystufek, Haberl &amp; Baxter (2008), Krystufek, Haberl, Baxter &amp; Zima (2004), Lamani (2011, 2014), Lombard (2014), Lynch (1983, 1989, 1994), Madikiza (2010), Madikiza, Bertolino, Baxter &amp; Do Linh San (2010a, 2010b), Madikiza, Bertolino &amp; Do Linh San (2011), Mahlaba &amp; Perrin (2003), Mzilikazi &amp; Baxter (2009), Mzilikazi et al. (2012), Perrin &amp; Curtis (1980), Qwede (2003), Roberts (1951), Rowe-Rowe (1986), Rowe-Rowe &amp; Meester (1982), Skinner &amp; Chimimba (2005), Smithers (1983), Stanley &amp; Goodman (2011), Stanley, Goodman &amp; Kihaule (1998), Stanley, Kihaule et al. (1998), Swanepoel (1988), Taylor (1998), Tuyisingize et al. (2013), Webb &amp; Skinner (1996), Whittington-Jones &amp; Brown (1999), Wirminghaus &amp; Perrin (1992), Yalden et al. (1996).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFCCDD0AC97FF719FE54F41C	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFCDDD09C9BDF3B6FB19F7C6.text	9B215C43FFCDDD09C9BDF3B6FB19F7C6.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus ocularis (Smith 1829)	<div><p>12.</p><p>Spectacled African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus ocularis</p><p>French: Loir du Cap / German: Brillenbilch / Spanish: Liron de anteojos</p><p>Other common names: Gemsbokmuis, Namtap, Spectacled Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Sciurus ocularis A. Smith, 1829,</p><p>near Plettenberg Bay, western Cape Province, South Africa.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . Originally described in the genus Sciurus due to their general resemblance to tree squirrels. J. Smuts in 1832 proposed Graphiurus as the oldest valid genus name for African dormice for the form capensis, a synonym of the type species of the genus, G. ocularis . O. Thomas and M. A. C. Hinton in 1925 argued that differences between G. ocularis, two species of rock-dwelling African dormice ( G. platyops and G. rupicola), and all other “ordinary” arboreal dormice were such that the three groups of African dormice should be recognized as separate genera. Because G. ocularis is the type species for the genus, they retained this species as the sole member of the genus Graphiurus, distinguished by its “minute” premolar and simple occlusal surface. Some authors such as G. M. Allen in 1939 and A. Roberts in 1951 followed Thomas and Hinton’s recommendations to recognize separate genera of African dormice. Others, such as J. R. Ellerman in 1940, voiced skepticism. Ellerman initially retained the three groups as subgenera, but in 1953, Ellerman and colleagues only recognized two subgenera, Graphiurus, containing G. ocularis, and Claviglis, containing all other African dormice; X. Misonne in 1974, H. Genest-Villard in 1978, and M. E. Holden in 1993 followed this arrangement. E. G. Potapova in 2001 and I. Y. Pavlinov and Potapova in 2003 placed all species of African dormice except G. nagiglasii and G. crassicaudatus in subgenus Graphiurus, an arrangement followed by Holden in 2005. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. Endemic to South Africa (Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and Western Cape Provinces).</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 117-145 mm, tail 103-150 mm, ear 15-25 mm, hindfoot 20-26 mm; weight 72-85 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. The Spectacled African Dormouse is the second largest species within the genus. Striking black, white, and gray color pattern on head and shoulders allows easy identification; facial pattern vaguely resembles that of a Gemsbok (Oryx gazella), hence the common name variation of “Gemsbokmuis.” Dorsal pelage is medium silver-gray to silver-charcoalgray; texture is woolly and thick, and fur is moderately long (rump hairs 11-12 mm, guard hairs up to 16 mm). Ventral pelage is dark gray washed with white. Chin and chest of some individuals are dark chestnut; some researchers have suggested that color is a result ofstaining offur by certain ingested food items such as earwigs, but reddish color may be inherent because it appears on young Spectacled African Dormice prior to weaning. Head is silver gray, paler gray to white on top ofsnout. Cheeks are white and form part of white sharply demarcated lateral stripe that extends from cheeks to shoulders; dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Eyes are large. Eye mask is conspicuous and broad, formed by wide black stripe extending from base ofear to muzzle underneath vibrissae. Fars are brown, moderately large, and rounded. Conspicuous white supra-auricular patches and post-auricular patches are present. Hindfeet are white or white with dark metatarsal streak, somewhat wide and short, ¢.18% of head-body length. Tail is moderately long, c.85%of head-body length; tail hairs are shorter at base, 10-15 mm, and longer at tip, up to 35 mm. Tail hairs are slate gray at base and white for most oftheir distal length so that tail appears frosted. Ventral tail surface is darker and is solid brownish black medially, fringed with white laterally; tail tip is white. Skull is long, moderately flattened, and broad. Greatest length ofskull is 34-2-37-5 mm, zygomatic breadth is 18:3-20-9 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-3-5 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are based on specimens from Northern Cape and Western Cape Provinces. Chromosome number is 2n = 46. Females have four pairs of nipples (1 pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. South-West Arid (Karoo) and South-West Cape Biotic Zones from sea level to elevations of 1585 m. Spectacled African Dormice have been captured in rock piles, stone kraals, and rocky outcrops formed predominantly by sandstones and they are most commonly found in outcrops more than 3 m high that offer elevated horizontal and vertical crevices for nesting and shelter. Namaqua Micaelamys ( Micaelamys namaguensis) and Cape Elephant Shrews (Elephantulus edwardii) have been observed to inhabit the same rocky outcrops as Spectacled African Dormice and used lower, less steep rock surfaces and horizontal fissures closer to the ground, whereas Spectacled African Dormice scaled vertical or near-vertical rock faces to use fissures higher up on outcrops. The type specimen was “found in a hollow tree;” no other specimens have been observed or captured in trees.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The Spectacled African Dormouse is insectivorous and carnivorous. Diets primarily consist of arthropods, vertebrates, eggs, and honey. Insects consumed include grasshoppers, ants, beetles, and bees. They prey on vertebrates, including birds that roost in rock crevices such the Cape bunting (Emberiza capensis) and lizards such as the southern rock agama (Agama atra) and red-sided skinks (Trachylepis homalocephala). Fecal analyses reveal no seasonal variation in diet, no differences in diet between juveniles and adults, or between males and females. Captive Spectacled African Dormice are said to consume unnatural foods such as crackers, fruit, meat, honey, dog food, and rat pellets. Climbers and other visitors to the Cederberg Mountains huts report that Spectacled African Dormice devour any food items left unprotected and rummage in open backpacks in search of food. Nesting habits of captive individuals suggest that they carry food items to feeding areas in their nests before consuming them.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Spectacled African Dormice are 4-6 young; two litters may be produced each season, with a litter interval of 6-8 weeks. Young are born in spring and summer (August-mid-February), remain with the mother or breeding pair for 5-6 weeks, and then seek out their own territory, usually in less favorable habitat due to occupation ofhigher quality habitat by adults. Developing young are able to emit aggression calls by ¢.2 weeks old.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Spectacled African Dormouse is nocturnal. During warm seasons, they have been observed foraging within 30 minutes after sunset and until shortly before sunrise. Spectacled African Dormice remain active throughout the year, but they enter facultative daily torpor or multiday torpor bouts, or hibernate for up to one month, in response to lower ambient temperatures or scarcity of food. In captivity, they seem to be unable to tolerate ambient temperatures greater than 35°C.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Spectacled African Dormice are predominantly rupicolous. Flattened cranium and well-developed foot pads allow them to scale vertical rock faces and move through narrow rock crevices. They prefer to travel along rocks aboveground, even if taking a ground-level path would considerably shorten the distance; fluorescent powder tracking suggests that individuals lay scent trails and that males and females follow common routes. Home range sizes were 1-1-2-3 ha for adult females and 2-1-3-8 ha for adult males in a 7-5ha study site. Densities, inclusive of all age groups, are reported to be 1-8-3-1 ind/ha; densities of adult population were 0-9-1-3 ind/ha in 7-8ha during a four-year study; mean population size during breeding season was calculated to be seven adults, and male-female ratio was 1:1. Density is in part determined by availability of suitable rocky habitat. There is little information available regarding specific nesting habits because Spectacled African Dormice nests are located deep within rock fissures. Captive individuals carried food to specific areas of their nests and defecated in or near the nest. The social structure of these dormice primarily consists of male-female pairs plus nestlings; pairs occupy the most favorable habitats, and pairs have been documented to persist up to eleven months until one individual disappears or is displaced. Lone individuals, including young dispersing from parental nests, travel farther and nest in less favorable habitats. It is not known whether males or females primarily maintain territories, but males appear to be forced to move more often due to displacement. Spectacled African Dormice behave aggressively toward conspecifics. At first, they vocalize softly by making a “woomph woomph” noise and then produce a “spit-urr” call with increasing volume and frequency that builds up to a sudden harsh cry to intimidate an intruder; they also fluff up and raise their tail, showing the black ventral surface, and open their mouths. It has been hypothesized that aggressive displays and vocalizations are important in maintaining control of territories. Average life span of the Spectacled African Dormouse is thought to be c.4 years in the wild; one captive individual lived six years.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Spectacled African Dormouse is relatively widespread, and although not common,it is wellknown, well-studied, and well-represented in protected areas. There are no obvious major threats and no reason to infer a decline, but continued population monitoring is necessary. A more appropriate classification might be Data Deficient, which would better reflect lack of information regarding population demographics across its discontinuous distribution and fewer than 50 museum specimens.</p><p>Bibliography. Allen, G.M. (1939), Avery &amp; Avery (2011), Channing (1984, 1987 1997), Coetzee et al. (2008b), De Graaff &amp; Rautenbach (1983), Ellerman (1940), Ellerman et al. (1953), Genest-Villard (1978), Happold &amp; Lock (2013), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Misonne (1974), Pavlinov &amp; Potapova (2003), Perrin &amp; Ridgard (1999), Potapova (2001), Rautenbach (1982), Roberts (1951), Skinner &amp; Smithers (1990), Smith (1829), Smithers (1986), Smuts (1832), Taylor et al. (1994), Thomas &amp; Hinton (1925), Van Hensbergen &amp; Channing (1989).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFCDDD09C9BDF3B6FB19F7C6	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFCEDD09C982F7DCF624F24E.text	9B215C43FFCEDD09C982F7DCF624F24E.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus platyops Thomas 1897	<div><p>13.</p><p>Flat-headed African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus platyops</p><p>French: Loir de Thomas / German: Siidafrikanischer Felsenbilch / Spanish: Liron de cabeza plana</p><p>Other common names: Rock Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus platyops Thomas, 1897,</p><p>Enkeldorn, Mashonaland, southern Zimbabwe.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . Graphiurus platyops, as reflected by its scientific and common name, was initially distinguished from all other African dormice by its flattened cranium. Few researchers have disputed status ofthis taxon as a valid species, but confusion has arisen due to the generic names created by O. Thomas and M. A. C. Hinton in 1925 and due to the inclusion of what M. E. Holden in 2005 and 2013 stated were probably unrelated taxa within this species. Thomas and Hinton proposed that two species of rock-dwelling dormice, G. platyops and G. rupicola, should be placed in their own genus based on morphological and ecological differences; they named the new genus Gliriscus and chose G. platyops as the type species, an arrangement followed by G. M. Allen in 1939. Initially by 1940, J. R. Ellerman recognized Gliriscus as a subgenus, but later in 1953, Ellerman and colleagues stated that the subgenus was not separable from the more arboreal forest and savanna African dormice, so they did not recognize Gliriscus at the genus or subgeneric level. Ellerman and colleagues also grouped G. rupicola as a subspecies of G. platyops, an arrangement followed by X. Misonne in 1974 and H. Genest-Villard in 1978. In 1951, A. Roberts followed Thomas and Winton in recognizing the genus Gliriscus and listed G. rupicola as a separate species, pointing out substantial morphological differences between rupicola and platyops, a position endorsed by Holden in 2005 based on study of museum specimens and preliminary multivariate analyses. In 2013, Holden provided a more detailed description of G. rupicola and comparison with G. platyops . Several named forms of another unrelated species, G. angolensis, has also been included as subspecies of G. platyops by Ellerman and colleagues in 1953, W. F. H. Ansell in 1974 and 1978, and Holden in 1993. Subsequent study of type specimens, large series of specimens, and preliminary analyses by Holden led her to conclude in 2005 and 2013 that G. angolensis, G. rupicola, and G. platyops are consistently morphologically separable and should be recognized as valid species. Previously thought to occur in central Botswana; however, Holden reported in 2005 that the museum specimen on which the record was based represents G. microtis . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. SE Africa, in NE &amp; S Zambia, S Malawi, Zimbabwe, WC Mozambique, E Botswana, NE South Africa, and Swaziland.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-122 mm, tail 66-98 mm, ear 13-18 mm, hindfoot 18-25 mm; weight 30-4-52-8 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage of the Flat-headed African Dormouseis gray, brownish gray, or grayish brown; texture is sleek; and fur is moderately long but with relatively short guard hairs (rump hairs 10 mm, guard hairs up to 13 mm). Ventral pelage is white or cream, with dark gray bases of ventral fur hairs moderately visible. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage, becoming paler toward muzzle. Cheeks are cream or white, forming part of pale lateral area that extends from cheeks to shoulders. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Eyes are large, and eye mask is conspicuous; in most individuals, eyes are encircled by thick dark stripes that extend from eyes to muzzle. Ears are brown, moderately large, and rounded. Faint white postauricular patches are sometimes present. Hindfeet are usually white, or white with dark metatarsal streak, c.20% of head—body length. Tail is moderately short, c.73% of head-body length; tail hairs are shorter at tail base, 5—7 mm, and longer attail tip, up to 30 mm; tail color similar to that of dorsal pelage except many white hairs are mixed in throughoutits length;tail tip is white. Skull is gracile, broad, and flat; in lateral profile, dorsal outline of skull from rostrum to occiput is practically horizontal. Greatest length of skull is 28-6-32 mm, zygomatic breadth is 16:1-18:6 mm, and upper tooth row length is 2:8-3-5 mm. External and cranial measurements based on Zimbabwe and north-eastern South Africa specimens. Chromosome number not known. Females typically have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Zambezian Woodland Biotic Zone and northern part of Highveld Biotic Zone. Flat-headed African Dormiceare most often trapped in crevices in “kopjes” (rocky hills), “krantzes” (rock overhangs), and under exfoliating granite. They are often found in association with the Bush Hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei) and the Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis). In Mozambique, individuals were captured in dry Androstachys sp. (Picrodendraceae) scrub thickets in a dry riverbed. In north-eastern South Africa, one female with three young was caught in a hollow tree branch. Three individuals were trapped in caves in South Africa, according to notes on specimen labels.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The Flat-headed African Dormouse is omnivorous. Stomach contents of individuals from Zimbabwe and Botswana have been reported to contain remains of well-masticated small seeds, traces of green vegetable matter, moths, and chitinous remains of other insects. One animal was trapped using part of a rat carcass for bait.</p><p>Breeding. Little is known about the reproductive biology of, but in Zimbabwe, a pregnant Flat-headed African Dormouse carrying two full-term embryos was obtained in February.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Flat-headed African Dormouse is nocturnal and probably crepuscular. Five individuals captured in western Zimbabwe between 06:00 h and 09:00 h suggested that at least some individuals were crepuscular or can be active during the day.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Flat-headed African Dormouse is predominantly rupicolous. Markedly flattened cranium allows movement through narrow rock crevices, where they are most commonly found. They are apparently solitary. In 1997, A. Channing provided the following behavioral information: “unbaited tunnel traps that have been entered by one individual seem to attract others, suggesting that, like the Spectacled African Dormice ( G. ocularis), these dormice use scent trails. They are aggressive, flourishing and whipping their tails as a visual signal. Vocalizations include a soft warning call, consisting of a number of short, low-pitched notes. An aggression call followsif the intruder does not leave. The aggression call consists of a series of briefspits, each consisting of a 0-1second burst of high amplitude white noise. The encounter escalates into a fight if the intruder remains.” Because Channing included the Rupicolous African Dormice ( G. rupicola) within this species, the behavioral information listed by Channing cannot be ascribed to the Flat-headed African Dormice with certainty.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Flatheaded African Dormouse is widespread, and there are no identified potential threats; population trend is unknown but it is probably not uncommon. A more appropriate classification of the Flat-headed African Dormouse might be Data Deficient because so little is known about the precise distribution and abundance. There are only c.50 museum specimens, and only 1-2 individuals represent most localities; authors that cite large numbers of museum specimens may be including other species such as the Angolan African Dormouse ( G. angolensis) and the Rupicolous African Dormouse within this species, which would artificially inflate the number of recorded specimens. Although the primary limiting factor for populations of Flat-headed African Dormice is thought to be suitable rocky habitat, other factors that influence density and sustainability have not been studied. There are a good number of regional and private conservation areas throughout much of its distribution, although years of civil conflict have negatively impacted ecosystems and wildlife in Mozambique and there are no effectively managed protected areas.</p><p>Bibliography. Allen, G.M. (1939), Ansell (1974, 1978), Channing (1997), De Graaff (1981), Ellerman (1940), Ellerman et al. (1953), Genest-Villard (1978), Grubb (2008a), Happold &amp; Lock (2013), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Misonne (1974), Rautenbach (1982), Roberts (1951), Skinner &amp; Smithers (1990), Smithers (1971, 1983), Smithers &amp;Tello (1976), Smithers &amp; Wilson (1979), Thomas &amp; Hinton (1925), Wilson (1975), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFCEDD09C982F7DCF624F24E	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFCFDD08C9B5FE95F902FDAC.text	9B215C43FFCFDD08C9B5FE95F902FDAC.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus rupicola (Thomas & Hinton 1925)	<div><p>14.</p><p>Rupicolous African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus rupicola</p><p>French: Loir des rochers / German: Namaqualand-Felsenbilch / Spanish: Lirén de roca</p><p>Other common names: Namaqua Rock Dormouse, Stone Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Gliriscus rupicola Thomas &amp; Hinton, 1925,</p><p>Karibib, west-central Namibia, 3842 feet (1170 m).</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . It was described as being distinct from all other African dormouse species based on cranial morphology and external pelage characteristics; they chose the namerupicola to highlight the new species’ rock-dwelling habits. They compared the new animal with another rock-dwelling dormouse known from south-eastern Africa, G. platyops, and explained that morphological and ecological differences between rock-dwelling species and other African dormice were so great that they should be placed in their own genus as discussed under G. platyops . In 1951, A. Roberts followed O. Thomas and M. A. C. Hinton in recognizing G. rupicola as a valid species and outlined substantial morphological differences between G. rupicola and G. platyops, a position endorsed by M. E. Holden in 2005 and 2013. In 2013, Holden provided a more detailed description of G. rupicola and a comparison with G. platyops . Isolated populations of these dormice occur on mountains and highlands from Mount Soque, Angola, south to Eenriet and vicinity of Port Nolloth in Little Namaqualand, South Africa. Northern distributional limit for G. rupicola was previously thought to be Kamanjab, Namibia, but Holden provisionally reported in 2005 and 2013 that individuals collected from Mount Soque, Angola, appear to represent this species. The two Mount Soquespecimens consist ofcranial fragments and stuffed skins; further study incorporating additional specimens and molecular data may support recognition of the Angolan population as a separate species, endemicto the high mountain region of west-central Angola. A similar distribution was outlined for a new species of African wood mouse, Hylomyscus heinrichorum, recently described by M. D. Carleton and colleagues in 2015. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. SW Africa, in WC Angola, C Namibia, and NW South Africa (NW Northern Cape Province).</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 105-119 mm, tail 96-118 mm, ear 16-20 mm, hindfoot 21-22 mm; weight 25 g (a subadult). No sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage of the Rupicolous African Dormouse is silvery gray, drab gray, or slate gray; texture is woolly and thick. Fur is moderately long (rump hairs 10-11 mm, guard hairs up to 17 mm). Ventral pelage is predominantly white; slate gray bases ofventral fur hairs are moderately visible. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage, slightly paler toward snout. Eyes are large; eye mask is conspicuous; some individuals have white supra-auricular patches. Ears are brown, large, and oval-shaped, with white or cream post-auricular patches usually present. Cheeks are cream or white, forming part ofpale lateral area that extends from cheeks to shoulders. Hindfeet are white, or white with dark metatarsal streak, ¢.20% of headbody length. Tail is long, ¢.95% of head-body length, similar in color to dorsal pelage but with many scattered white hairs mixed throughout;tail thus may appear fringed in white, mottled with white, or predominantly white; tail tip is white. Tail hairs are shorter at base, 9-12 mm, and longer at tip, up to 43 mm. Skull is long and moderately flattened, with large auditory bullae. Greatest length ofskull is 30-5-32-3 mm, zygomatic breadth is 16-7-17-9 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-3-3-7 mm. External and cranial measurements based on specimens from Namibia. Chromosome numberis not known. Females have four pairs ofnipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Rock crevices in rocky outcrops and kopjes in xeric shrublands and woodlands at elevations of ¢.400-1650 m. In Namibia and South Africa, distribution ofthe Rupicolous African Dormice lies within the South-West Arid Biotic Zoneand within the Succulent Karoo and Namibian Savanna Woodlands ecoregions. In Angola, they have only been captured on the inselberg of Mount Soque within the Angolan Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaic ecoregion. The two specimens from Mount Soque, Angola, were captured in “evergreen wood at mountain top.” Dominant Afro-montane forest tree species in this region is the yellowwood ( Podocarpus latifolius, Podocarpaceae). Much ofthe fauna and flora recorded from Mount Soque show closer affinities to faraway highlands than to species occurring in the surrounding miombo woodland on the central Angolan plateau.</p><p>Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Breeding. A female Rupicolous African Dormouse obtained on Mount Brukkaros, Namibia, in late September was “carrying fetuses,” but no further details were noted and very little is known about the reproductive biology ofthis species.</p><p>Activity patterns. Rupicolous African Dormice are nocturnal, but their specific activity patterns are virtually unknown.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Rupicolous African Dormouse is probably predominantly rupicolous. Moderately flattened skull enables individuals to squeeze through narrow rock crevices. Limited information suggests that Rupicolous African Dormice nest only in rock crevices.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Rupicolous African Dormice has a relatively wide distribution and presumably a large population, and it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. In 2013, Holden recommended that Data Deficient would be a more appropriate classification. Existence ofso few museum specimens (only ¢.25 specimens) from widely separated collecting localities provides little information as to geographical limits and abundance. Paucity of specimens suggests that densities are not high. The fact that all three ecoregions in which Rupicolous African Dormice occur—the Angolan Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaic, the Succulent Karoo, and the Namibian Savanna Woodlands—are classified as either critical/endangered or vulnerable provides further justification for IUCN classification as Data Deficient.</p><p>Bibliography. Carleton et al. (2015), Dean (2000), Ellerman et al. (1953), Genest-Villard (1978), Happold &amp; Lock (2013), Holden (2005, 2013), Huntley (1974), Huntley &amp; Matos (1994), Mills, Melo &amp; Vaz (2013), Mills, Olmos et al. (2011), Roberts (1951), Schlitter &amp; Coetzee (2008), Shortridge (1934a), Thomas &amp; Hinton (1925), White (1983), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFCFDD08C9B5FE95F902FDAC	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFCFDD0FCCB1FD21F922FD9F.text	9B215C43FFCFDD0FCCB1FD21F922FD9F.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Graphiurus surdus Dollman 1912	<div><p>15.</p><p>Short-eared African Dormouse</p><p>Graphiurus surdus</p><p>French: Loir sourd / German: Kurzohrbilch / Spanish: Liron de orejas cortas</p><p>Other common names: Deaf Dormouse, Silent Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Graphiurus surdus Dollman, 1912,</p><p>Benito River, Rio Muni Province, western Equatorial Guinea.</p><p>Placed in the subgenus Graphiurus . Although described and initially recognized as a valid species, X. Misonne in 1974 and H. Genest-Villard in 1978 synonymized G. surdus within a broadly defined G. murinus . L.. W. Robbins and D. A. Schlitter in 1981 and M. E. Holden in 1996 provided morphological evidence for recognizing G. surdusas a valid species. In his original description ofthe type specimen in 1912, J. G. Dollman remarked that this is *"...a small-eared species” and chose the Latin species name surdus, which translates to mean deafor silent. These dormice are certainly not deaf, and being silent has nothing to do with small ear size, and so the common name “Short-eared Dormouse” seems most appropriate. In 1981, Robbins and Schlitter questioned whether small ears were diagnostic. Holden in 1996 compared mean ear length of G. surdus to G. christyi, the dormouse that most closely resembles G. surdus in external appearance, and documented that ear length is shorter in G. surdus; limits of the ranges are close but do not overlap. It is difficult to separate the two species based on ear length alone if specimens being examined happen to be at the extremes of measurement ranges, but other characteristics such as pelage texture, length of hindfeet, and cranial characters allow for unambiguous identification of G. surdus . Holden in 1996 and 2013 provided additional comparisons with G. christy: and other species. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. WC &amp; C Africa, in S Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, N Gabon, and two localities in NE &amp; SC DR Congo (Masako and Inkongo). Limits of geographic distribution unknown.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 87-110 mm, tail 66-82 mm, ear 9-14 mm, hindfoot 18-22 mm; weight 18-34 g. No sexual dimorphism has been reported. Dorsal pelage ofthe Short-eared African Dormouse is grayish brownto charcoal; textureis silky and fur is moderately long (rump hairs 5-7 mm, guard hairs up to 11 mm). Ventral pelage is dark gray, washed with whitish buff; dorsal and ventral pelage colors are not clearly delineated. Cheeks are gray washed with white and not much paler than dorsal pelage. Eyes are large, and eye mask is inconspicuous; eyes are encircled by thin dark eyerings. Ears are brown, somewhat short, and rounded; post-auricular patches are not present. Hindfeet are cream, or white with dark metatarsal streak, and are relatively long compared with most African dormice, ¢.21% of head-body length. Tail is somewhat short, ¢.73% of head-body length, and is similar in color to dorsal pelage, with many scattered white hairs resulting in a frosted appearance, but tip is not white. Tail hairs are shorter at base, 3-8 mm, and longer at tip, up to 20 mm. A diagnostic feature of cranium ofthe Short-eared African Dormouse is relatively straight conformation of zygomatic arch in lateral view. Greatest length ofskull is 26-5-29-4 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-4-15-7 mm, and upper tooth row length is 2:9-3-5 mm. External and cranial measurementslisted based on specimens from Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Chromosome number is not known. Females typically have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8), although Robbins and Schlitter reported a female from south-eastern Cameroon with only three pairs (1 pectoral + 0 abdominal + 2 inguinal).</p><p>Habitat. Primary and secondary lowland tropical rainforest in faunal zones identified as important reservoirs for biodiversity and speciation. In south-western Cameroon, one Short-eared African Dormouse was collected in the same trap line as the Thicktailed African Dormouse ( G. crassicaudatus). Traps were set on vines and horizontal branches in secondary high forest, with no hollow trees observed in the immediate area. In DR Congo, one individual was captured on the ground at Masako; habitat in the vicinity of Masako is composed of primary and old-growth secondary forest, fallow lands, and cultivated areas.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Short-eared African Dormice are probably omnivorous like other members of this genus, and they likely consume arthropods, fruit, nuts, and seeds. In southern Cameroon and north-eastern DR Congo, individuals were attracted to bait made from nuts of the African oil palm (Llaeis guinensis).</p><p>Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but a female Short-eared African Dormouse was found pregnant with two embryos in January in south-western Cameroon.</p><p>Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Short-eared African Dormouse is probably nocturnal.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Short-eared African Dormouse is probably arboreal and likely solitary. One individual from Bitye, Cameroon, was smoked out ofa hollow tree. This suggests that Short-eared African Dormice at least sometimes nest in hollow trees, as do the Thick-tailed African Dormouse and Nagtglas’s African Dormouse ( G. nagtglasii) Little is known about abundance or density of the Short-eared African Dormice, but existence of less than 25 identified museum specimens, despite intensive small mammal surveys in certain parts ofits distribution, suggests that it is rare.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There is continuing uncertainty as to geographical limits, natural history, and potential threats of the Short-eared African Dormouse. Based on paucity of museum specimens, it is not abundant; furthermore,its ability to tolerate modifications of habitat has not been studied.</p><p>Bibliography. Amundala et al. (2005), Colyn (1986, 1991), Dollman (1912), Genest-Villard (1978), Holden (1996b, 2005, 2013), Misonne (1974), Mukinzi et al. (2005), Robbins &amp; Schlitter (1981), Schlitter (2008c), Van der Straeten &amp; Dudu (1990).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFCFDD0FCCB1FD21F922FD9F	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFCADD0CC979FE61FC30FBF7.text	9B215C43FFCADD0CC979FE61FC30FBF7.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Glirulus japonicus (Schinz 1845)	<div><p>16.</p><p>Japanese Dormouse</p><p>Glirulus japonicus</p><p>French: Loir du Japon / German: Japan-Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Japon</p><p>Other common names: Mountain Rat, Yamane</p><p>Taxonomy. Myoxus javanicus Schinz, 1845 .</p><p>Japan.</p><p>Schinz’s javanicus was a lapsus for japonicus and was officially conserved as the original spelling by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature in 2001. This species is considered to have originated from immigrants that colonized Japan via land bridges formed with adjacent mainland Asia during the Pliocene or early Pleistocene, according to M. Dobson and Y. Kawamura in 1998, and B. D. McKay in 2012. It has traditionally been viewed as monotypic, but recent molecular genetic studies by S. P. Yasuda and colleagues in 2012 that amplified prior results of Yasuda and colleagues in 2009 and 2007 and H. Suzuki and colleagues in 1997 revealed nine distinct genetic lineages that exhibit substantial genetic differentiation; Yasuda and colleagues in 2012 hypothesized that factors such as glacial cycles combined with topographical barriers, or population fluctuations played an important role in shaping present-day population structure. In addition to genetic differences, populations exhibit phenotypic and ecological differences as reported by S. Minato in 1986, Suzuki and colleagues in 1997, K. Funakoshi and colleagues in 2015, and as figured in M. A. Iwasa in 2009; future integrative studies incorporating genetic, morphological, and ecological data will likely show that several lineages are distinct and diagnosable. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. Endemic to Japan, recorded from Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Oki Is (Dogojima).</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 66-93 mm, tail 38-59 mm, ear 6-10, hindfoot 15-18 mm; weight 14-45 g. No sexual dimorphism recorded. Along with the Hazel Dormouse ( Muscardinus avellanarius), the Japanese Dormouse is one of the smallest species within the family. Dorsal pelage color varies geographically from rich rufous brown to pale rufous beige, with dark brown to black mid-dorsal stripe extending from between ears to base of tail; stripe is widest and most prominent along back. Expression ofstripe is variable. Dorsal pelage is soft, thick, and moderately long, with conspicuous guard hairs. Ventral pelage is gray, lightly suffused with white. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are not clearly delineated. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage. Eyes are very large, each encircled by prominent dark brown ring; eye mask either appears absent or sometimes as faint darkening beneath vibrissae. Ears are brown, moderately large, and rounded, although they appear small because much of their bases are covered by thick dorsal pelage. No post-auricular patches are present. Cheeks are paler than dorsal pelage, often buffy. Hindfeet are sparsely haired with white fur distally; broad metatarsal streak matches color of dorsal pelage. Tail is moderately short (c.61% of head-body), flattened throughout its length, and covered with hairs extending up to 20 mm. Tail color generally matches dorsal pelage and lacks white tip. Skull is compact, short, and broad. One feature unique to the Japanese Dormouse is lateral wrapping of a projection of basioccipital around posterior margin of each mastoid region and adjoining auditory bulla. Greatest length of skull is 24 mm, zygomatic breadth is 14 mm, and upper tooth row length is 4 mm. Chromosome number is 2n = 46. Females have eight pairs of nipples (2 pectoral + 1 abdominal + 1 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Subtropical, montane, and subalpine habitats that experience heavy snowfall in regions characterized by primary and secondary mixed broadleaf forest, and mixed coniferous and deciduous forest at elevations of 400-1880 m. Mixed deciduous forests inhabited by Japanese Dormice are dominated by canopy trees such as Japanese chestnut ( Castanea crenata, Fagaceae), Japanese beech ( Fagus crenata, Fagaceae), several species of maple ( Acer sp., Sapindaceae), Japanese oak ( Quercus crispula, Fagaceae), Japanese larch ( Larix kaempferi, Pinaceae), Mongolian oak (Q. mongolica serrata), Japanese white birch ( Betula platyphylla, Betulaceae), and Japanese red pine ( Pinus densiflora, Pinaceae) and understory trees and shrubs such as Japanerse bird cherry ( Prunus grayana, Rosaceae), Chinese mulberry ( Morus australis, Moraceae), Japanese azalea ( Rhododendron japonicum, Ericaceae), and Japanese clethra ( Clethra barbinervis, Clethraceae); mixed deciduous and conifer forests are dominated by conifers such as Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica), Marie’s fir ( Abies mariesii), northern Japanese hemlock (7 Tsuga diversifolia), and Japanese larch ( Larix kaempferi), but also have Japanese beech, Manchurian walnut ( Juglans mandshurica, Juglandaceae), and cherry ( Prunus sp.). In southern Japan, these dormice also inhabit cool temperate mixed deciduous forests at higher elevations, but at lower elevations, they occur in warm subtropical evergreen laurel forest dominated by laurel (Machilus thunbergii), salinica oak ( Quercus salicina),Japanese stone oak ( Lithocarpus edulis, Fagaceae), with Japanese camellia ( Camellia japonica, Theaceae) often present in the understory.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The Japanese Dormouse is omnivorous. In the wild, it eats insects and their larvae such as bees, moths, and other arthropods; fruits, flowers, and bird eggs are also eaten. Stomach and gut contents with fragments of insects such as cave crickets, earwigs, stink bugs, coleopterans, and centipedes have been recorded. Japanese Dormice have also been said to feed on hardy kiwi ( Actinidia arguta, Actinidiaceae), fruits of three-leaf chocolate vine ( Akebia trifoliata, Lardizabalaceae), crimson glory vine ( Vitis coignetiae, Vitaceae), and fig ( Morus bombycis, Moraceae); petals, nectar, and fruit of the cherry Prunus jamasakura; and fruit of the giant dogwood ( Cornus controversa, Cornaceae). In 2004, H. Ida and colleagues studied pre-dispersal nut predation and concluded that Small Japanese Field Mice ( Apodemus argenteus) likely account for a much greater percentage pre-dispersal damage to beechnuts than do Japanese Dormice.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes ofJapanese Dormice are 3-5 young; as many as seven offspring have been recorded. Females produce 1-2 litters/year: the first in June-July and a second may be produced in October. Gestation is ¢.33 days (range 30-39 days). Parenting behavior exhibited by mothers has been reported to include preventing other dormice from approaching nests, construction and moving of young to new nests, and carrying food to the nest for young; no parental behavior by adult males has been observed.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Japanese Dormouse is nocturnal. Hibernation at high elevations in central Honshu lasts ¢.6-7 months from late September to April, ¢.5 months in central Kyushu, and c.4 months on the Kii Peninsula of Honshu. In southern Kyushu, hibernation is either short or consists of bouts interrupted by short periods of activity in mid-winter, and it is hypothesized that some individuals in that region are active year-round during unusually warm winters. Although length of hibernation varies geographically from high elevations that experience extreme snowfall to subtropical lowland forests, this variation may be related more to food availability than solely differences in temperature. Before entering hibernation, Japanese Dormice increase body weights 1-5-2-4 times their mass during non-hibernation periods. Hibernation sites found using telemetry were situated in shallow excavations 5-32 cm underground, under fallen leaves, in decayed branches or trunks, and in tree cavities.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Japanese Dormouse is arboreal and solitary. It is a skillful climber, spending most of its life in trees where it nests and feeds. They move quickly through tree canopies and branches, often running upside down, searching for food on undersides of branches and leaves; more than 50% of movements were recorded in an upside down position. A radio-tracking study in April-October in central Honshu revealed that 72% of daily restsites were located in trees vs. 28% in non-arborealsites such as shallow underground sites or in rock crevices near trees. Nest boxes and natural tree cavities constituted most arboreal rest sites. Despite preference for rest sites in trees, Japanese Dormice habitually choose rest sites closer to the ground, at heights of 0-2 m; this may increase predation risk by mammalian predators or snakes. Japanese Dormice sometimes rest in places that offer little cover or protection such as on branches near tree trunks, behind patches of bark, or in a cluster of wild grapes, and some individuals slept with their bodies fully exposed or beneath a few leaves on the ground. They have also occasionally used nesting sites abandoned by the Japanese Squirrel ( Sciurus lis) and the Small Japanese Field Mouse. In 1997, Minato and colleagues reported finding two spherical nests in Japanese azalea bushes 1-1-1-7 m from the ground. Males Japanese Dormice are documented to have larger home range sizes of c¢.2-4 ha than females at c.0-5 ha, although they caution that these values are likely underestimated; males traveled farther than females during a single night, with maximum recorded distances of 336-7 m for males and 173-2 m for females. Home ranges of females did not overlap and males sometimes emit aggressive calls on borders of their home ranges. It has been inferred that the mating system of Japanese Dormice is polygynous or promiscuous. No nesting materials were observed in rest sites used only for one day. Nesting materials used to construct nests in nest boxes include bryophytes, tree bark, lichen, dead leaves, and small sticks; bryophytes represented more than 50% of all nesting materials by weight. Course materials such as bark were used for outer parts of nests and bryophytes for the inner part. Japanese Dormice seemed to select nest sites based on nest material availability because they obtained materials 40-60 cm from their nests; availability of nesting materials in an individual's microhabitat is not thought to be a determining factor for nest box selection, but there is a positive correlation between food resource availability and nest box location. Densities of 1-1-3 ind/ha adult Japanese Dormice have been recorded from central Honshu, contrasting with an annual density of 5-9 ind/ha, including subadults, in a neighboring locality. Japanese Dormice have been recorded to live more than three years in the wild and eight years in captivity.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCNRed List. TheJapanese Dormouse has a large distribution. It is considered to be uncommon, and there are no immediate threats except long-term threat associated with deforestation and degradation of forests through natural calamities or anthropogenic means. The Japanese Dormouse was designated a natural monument ofJapan in 1975 and was listed as “near threatened” in 2002 on the Japanese Red List by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. Based on mtDNA, nDNA, and yDNA analyses, substantial genetic differentiation among populations has been documented; further study is required to identify evolutionarily significant units to inform conservation action to preserve genetic diversity and evolutionary potential of Japanese Dormice. Presence of Japanese Dormice has been confirmed in areas where they were once feared extirpated or had not previously been recorded; additional use of camera traps in future studies will prove useful in assessing abundance, population trends, and forging conservation strategies. Conservation efforts include construction of arboreal animal bridges connecting forest fragments and allowing safe crossing of potential barriers such as busy highways by arboreal animals, including the Japanese Dormouse. When another similar bridge was constructed in 2011, a Japanese Dormouse used it within seven hours. Such projects that raise public awareness and garner support from the local community members, government agencies, and corporate sponsors positively impact conservation ofJapanese Dormice.</p><p>Bibliography. Aoki &amp; Moriya (2009), Dobson &amp; Kawamura (1998), Funakoshi et al. (2015), ICZN (2001), Ida et al. (2004), lijima &amp; Tsuchiya (2015), Ishii (2005), Ishii &amp; Kaneko (2008c), Iwasa (2009), McKay (2012), Minato (1986, 1989, 1994, 1996), Minato &amp; Doei (1995), Minato, Iwabuchi et al. (2012), Minato, Wakabayashi &amp; Hidaka (1997), Ministry of the Environment (2002), Nakamura &amp; Kojo (2011), Nakamura-Kojo et al. (2014), Otsu &amp; Kimura (1993), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Shibata (2000, 2008), Shibata &amp; Kawamichi (2012), Shibata et al. (2004), Suzuki, H. et al. (1997), Suzuki, S. et al. (1975), Takahashi &amp; Takahashi (2013), Tsuchiya (1979), Vogel et al. (2003), Wahlert et al. (1993), Yasuda, M. &amp; Sakata (2011), Yasuda, M. et al. (2015), Yasuda, S.P, Iwabuchi et al. (2012), Yasuda, S.P, Minato et al. (2007), Yasuda, S.P, Nakayama et al. (2009).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFCADD0CC979FE61FC30FBF7	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFCBDD13C9BDFAAFFE25FE4F.text	9B215C43FFCBDD13C9BDFAAFFE25FE4F.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Glis glis (Linnaeus 1766)	<div><p>17.</p><p>Fat Dormouse</p><p>Glis glis</p><p>French: Loir gris / German: Siebenschlafer / Spanish: Lirdn gris</p><p>Other common names: Edible Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Sciurus glis Linnaeus, 1766,</p><p>“Habitat in Europa australi.” Restricted by C. Violani and B. Zava in 1994 to Southern Carniola, Slovenia.</p><p>More than 25 named forms have been proposed for populations of G. glis throughout its vast geographical distribution based on differences in coat color, size, cranial, and dental dimensions; historically, as many as 10-13 subspecies were recognized by J. R. Ellerman and T. C. S. Morrison-Scott in 1951, G. B. Corbet in 1978, and G. Storch in 1978. M. E. Holden in 2005 and B. Krystufek in 2010 highlighted the need for assessment ofintraspecific variation. A recent mtDNA phylogeographic study by H. Hiirner and colleagues in 2010 analyzed samples from 43 localities; the 16 haplotypes formed three well-supported genetic lineages that have nonoverlapping distributions, except for Sicily. Two genetic lineages were documented on Sicily, one ancestral lineage, plus one likely resulting from a more recent colonization. Other studies addressing intraspecific genetic and allozyme variation, such as those by S. E. Selcuk and colleagues in 2012, R. Colak and colleagues in 2008, and M. G. Filippucci and T. Kotsakis in 1994, similarly indicated that genetic data do not support traditionally recognized phenotypic subspecies. Hiirner and colleagues concluded that the European lineage of G. glis was characterized by widespread genetic homogeneity, suggesting a recent, rapid population expansion ¢.2000 years ago. Expansion ofthis species may have been linked with rapid spread of oak forests into northern Europe during the Holocene or, possibly, might have occurred or at least been aided by one or multiple introductions by humans during the Neolithic and more recent times, according to J.-D. Vigne in 1988, G. M. Carpaneto and M. Cristaldi in 1994, M. Sara in 2000, Hiirner and colleagues in 2010, and Selcuk and colleagues in 2012. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. W, C &amp; SE Europe, from N Iberian Peninsula N to the Baltic States and Russia (excluding Denmark, the Atlantic coast of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France), S to Italy and SE Europe, and E to middle Volga River (Russia), NW Anatolia (Turkey), the Caucasus, N Iran, and SW Turkmenistan. Introduced population occurs in Great Britain.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 131-185 mm, tail 100-175 mm, ear 14-21-6 mm, hindfoot 18-2-33 mm; weight 79-140 g (adults after hibernation) and 105-228 g (adults before hibernation); some populations exhibit larger body size reaching a total length of 390 mm or even more, and individuals average smaller on northern and eastern peripheries of the distribution. The Fat Dormouse is the largest dormouse species and is squirrel-like in general form and appearance. Dorsal pelage is gray in young individuals but grayish brown in adults. Ventral pelage and inner surface of legs are white or yellowish. Tails are truncated by damage occasionally due to false tail autotomy. Tail color matches that of dorsal pelage and is uniform in color;tail is bushy and flattened dorsoventrally. A narrow dusky ring occurs around eyes. Ears are relatively short and rounded. Condylobasal length is 32-5—40-4 mm, zygomatic breadth is 20-25-7 mm, and upper tooth row length is 6-8 mm. Angular process of mandible is not perforated. External and cranial measurements for adults after the first hibernation are from former Czechoslovakia and Austria. Fat Dormice exhibit geographical variation in number of mammary glands from eight to 14. Chromosomal number is 2n = 62.</p><p>Habitat. Deciduous and mixed woodlands with high proportions of mast-producing beech ( Fagus) or oak ( Quercus) trees, both Fagaceae, from sea level to elevations of c.2000 m. Presence of other fruiting trees, such as hazel ( Corylus, Betulaceae) and walnut ( Juglans, Juglandaceae), improves habitat quality for Fat Dormice. They prefer mature forests stands with old hollow trees; hollows are used as nesting and breeding sites. Well-connected tree canopies are important for arboreal movements and protection from predators. Fat Dormice also occur in maquis (Mediterranean shrubland) on rocky areas along the Mediterranean coast. They often enter buildings and inhabit caves wherever present.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Fat Dormice predominantly feed on vegetation, and food of animal origin is supplementary. After emergence from hibernation, Fat Dormice feed on nuts and acorns from the previous year, inflorescences of various trees, vegetative parts of plants, and, to a lesser extent, foods of animal origin such as insects, adult birds, nestlings, and bird eggs. Berries and other soft fruits prevail in summer diets, and hard mast such as nuts and acorns are preferentially eaten in autumn. Across their entire distribution, Fat Dormice feed on more than 30 species of plants. For accumulation of fat reserves prior to hibernation, they feed mostly on beechnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and acorns. On northern and eastern peripheries of the distribution, extensive feeding on birch seeds ( Betula, Betulaceae) occurs when these seeds are abundant.</p><p>Breeding. Fat Dormice give birth to one litter per year in July-August, coinciding with maximum food availability; however, individuals have been documented to completely skip reproduction in years with failure of beech or oak mast; males remain in a state of testicular regression. On the eastern periphery of the distribution, mass reabsorption of embryos was observed in females during years in which crop of oak mast was absent or scant. Fat Dormice usually breed every year in areas where food availability is more consistent. Gestation is c¢.25 days. Litter sizes are 1-13 young, and average litter size varies from 4-8 young to 7-9 young in different parts of the distribution. Females raise young without the help of males; at c¢.1-5 months old, juveniles begin to disperse from nests and live independently. Females reach sexual maturity after their first hibernation, but they usually start breeding at c.2 years old. Although a maximum life span of 14 years has been recorded in the wild, average life spans are 3-5 years; most females reproduce only once or twice in their lifetime.</p><p>Activity patterns. Fat Dormice are nocturnal and crepuscular, but diurnal activity is sometimes recorded in the afternoon, especially in spring and autumn. They may exhibit daily torpor during the active season, but this is uncommon in free-ranging individuals. Fat Dormice are obligate hibernators, and their hibernation period lasts 7-8 months in October—May on the northern periphery of the distribution but less than six months on the southern periphery. Before hibernation, Fat Dormice accumulate large quantities of body fat and rely entirely on this fat during hibernation. They typically hibernate in underground cavities 18-70 cm deep, with a median depth of 30 cm, without any nesting material. They sometimes hibernate in buildings and may also hibernate in caves. Summer dormancy or prolonged hibernation lasting up to 11-4 months was recorded in free-living Fat Dormice during a year of beech mast failure.</p><p>During hibernation, torpor bouts of up to 30 days are interrupted by arousals lasting several hours, with individuals normally remaining submerged in their hibernacula.</p><p>Body temperatures of hibernating Fat Dormice are close to soil temperatures.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Fat Dormice are arboreal and predominantly solitary. They are agile climbers, moving mainly in tree canopies and rarely descend to the ground. Their nests are typically situated in tree hollows, and they readily use nest boxes. Densities might reach 10-50 ind/ha in central and southern populations but only 1-5 ind/ha in northern populations. Female Fat Dormice maintain small exclusive home ranges, while males have much large overlapping home ranges.</p><p>Fat Dormice have a promiscuous mating system, in which females are territorial and non-territorial males compete for access to receptive females. Despite this competition, males can be found together in the same nest boxes in groups of 2-8 individuals during the mating season. Closely related females, usually mother and daughter, may share the same nest and nurse their young communally. Fat Dormice leave scent trails from scent glands on feet and circumanal glands around bases of their tails. They also deposit piles of droppings in latrines and on top of nest boxes. Fat Dormice produce the widest array of vocalizations among glirids, both in ultrasonic and audible ranges.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Fat Dormouse is common and widespread throughout most of its distribution. Conservation concerns are focused in the north-western part ofits distribution where populations are fragmented and densities are low (e.g. Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, and Belgium). Deforestation and particularly cutting of oak forests are main threats to the Fat Dormouse. A reintroduction program was initiated in Poland in 1997. In certain areas ofits distribution where Fat Dormice are abundant, they sporadically cause damage in silvicultural practice by stripping bark of European larch ( Larix decidua, Pinaceae) and occasionally Norway spruce ( Picea abies), Scots pine (FP. sylvestris), and beech. They also may cause damage to orchard fruits such as apple, pear, peach, grape, hazel, Persian walnut,figs, and almond. They sometimes nest in human dwellings and may cause damage by gnawing woodwork or electric cables, and consume food stored in pantries. In Slovenia and Croatia, the Fat Dormouse is a game species that has been hunted traditionally.</p><p>Bibliography. Airapetyants (1983), Amori, Hutterer, Krystufek, Yigit, Mitsain, Munoz, Meinig &amp; Juskaitis (2008), Andera (1986, 2011), Bieber &amp; Ruf (2009), Carpaneto &amp; Cristaldi (1994), Civitelli et al. (1994), Colak et al.</p><p>(2008), Corbet (1978), Donaurov et al. (1938), Ellerman &amp; Morrison-Scott (1951), Fietz et al. (2009), Filippucci &amp; Kotsakis (1994), Graphodatsky (2006), Grubesic et al. (2004), Hoelzl et al. (2015), Holden (1993, 2005), Hirner &amp; Michaux (2009), Harner et al. (2010), Hutterer &amp; Peters (2001), Jurczyszyn (1994, 2001, 2007), Juskaitis &amp; Augute (2015), Juskaitis, Balciauskas, Baltrunaite &amp; Augute (2015), JuSkaitis, Baltrunaite &amp; Augute (2015), Konstantinov &amp; Movchan (1985), Koren et al. (2015), KryStufek (1999a, 2004, 2010), Lebl et al. (2011), Lozan et al. (1990), Marteau &amp; Sara (2015), Morris (1997a, 1997b, 2008, 2011), Naderi, Kaboli, Karami et al. (2014), Naderi, Kaboli, Koren et al. (2014), Pilastro et al. (2003), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Ruf et al. (2006), Sara (2000), Scinski &amp; Borowski (2008), Sekeroglu &amp; Sekeroglu (2011), Selcuk et al. (2012), Spitzenberger &amp; Bauer (2001¢), Storch (1978), Trout et al. (2015), Vekhnik (2010, 2011), von Vietinghoff-Riesch (1960), Vigne (1988), Violani &amp; Zava (1994), Zima et al. (1994).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFCBDD13C9BDFAAFFE25FE4F	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD4DD13C965FD79F59CF63C.text	9B215C43FFD4DD13C965FD79F59CF63C.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Muscardinus avellanarius (Linnaeus 1758)	<div><p>18.</p><p>Hazel Dormouse</p><p>Muscardinus avellanarius</p><p>French: Loir muscardin / German: Haselmaus / Spanish: Muscardino</p><p>Other common names: Common Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Mus avellanarius Linnaeus, 1758,</p><p>Sweden.</p><p>An mtDNA phylogeographic study by A. Mouton and colleagues in 2012 uncovered two primary genetic lineages in M. avellanarius: one lineage occurs in Western Europe and the other in Central and Northern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, and in Turkey. The two lineages were estimated to have diverged c.7-7 million years ago during the late Miocene, a period of European faunal turnover discussed under family Gliridae above, and are estimated to have cytochrome-b gene sequence divergence value of 7-7%. According to R. D. Bradley and R. J. Baker in 2001, this value is sufficient to recognize the two lineages as separate species. As noted by Mouton and colleagues, however, additional data from independent gene loci are needed before a decision can be made regarding species-level status, as reliable inferences about population history should be based upon multiple independent loci according to J. C. Avise and R. M. Ball in 1990. Results of Mouton and colleagues also showed that the two primary lineages contained sublineages and there may be at least five historically isolated mitochondrial lineages within what is now recognized as one species, M. avellanarius . Five subspecies of M. avellanarius were historically recognized byJ. R. Ellerman and T. C. S. Morrison-Scott in 1951 and G. B. Corbet in 1978, but there is no congruence between previously recognized subspecies and the five isolated genetic lineages uncovered by Mouton and colleagues in 2012. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. W, C, &amp; E Europe, from the British Is (Wales and S England) and France E through most of Europe to the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers (Russia), NE to Denmark and S Sweden, S to Italy (including Sicily), and SE to N Anatolia (Turkey); a breeding population has been recently confirmed in Ireland.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 65-91 mm, tail 57-86 mm, ear 9-14-6 mm, hindfoot 14-2-17-8 mm; weight 17-19 g (adults in summer period), but more than 30 g before hibernation. Dorsal pelage of the Hazel Dormouse varies from gray to sandy yellow to golden; it changes in hue as an individual ages. Tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, but underside is paler. Ventral pelageis light yellow ocher or yellowish gray. Throat and chest have white patch that continues down to venter in a narrow strip. Tail is furred and bushy, ¢.90% of head-body length. False tail autotomy is characteristic, and individuals with truncated tails are occasionally observed or collected. Individuals with white tail tips can comprise up to 20% of certain populations. Condylobasal length is 18-1-23-4 mm, zygomatic breadth is 11-4-15 mm, and upper tooth row length is 4-1-5-1 mm. Lower jaw has characteristic hole in angular process. External and cranial measurements for adults after the first hibernation are from former Czechoslovakia and Austria. Karyotype is 2n = 46. Females have four pairs of nipples (1 pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Mostly deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forests with well-developed understories up to elevations of ¢.2000 m. High diversities of tree and shrub species are important determinants of habitat quality for the Hazel Dormouse. A well-developed interconnected understory ensures safety of nest sites from predators, and diversity of understory and overstory species guarantees continuity of food supply in the vicinity of nest sites. The Hazel Dormouse prefers early successional stages of woody vegetation, found in regenerating clear-cut and coppiced areas. Hedgerows can also provide good habitat and serve as corridors between wooded areas. In mountainous areas, Hazel Dormice can live in subalpine dwarf mountain pine ( Pinus mugo, Pinaceae) forests.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Hazel Dormice feed predominantly on vegetation but also on foods of animal origin. Main vegetative foods are buds and flowers in spring, berries in summer, and nuts and soft fruits in autumn. Generative parts of plants are preferred, whereas vegetative parts are only subsidiary foods. During periods of scarcity of suitable vegetable food in late spring and early summer, Hazel Dormice eat food of animal origin, primarily insects, such as aphids and caterpillars, and bird eggs. Insect consumption is expected to be more important in suboptimal habitats characterized by low diversity of nutritious plants.</p><p>Breeding. Littersizes of Hazel Dormice are 1-9 young;littersizes of 3-6 are most often recorded, resulting in mean littersize close to 4. Pregnancieslast 22-25 days. Lactation lasts 35-45 days. The Hazel Dormouse is unique among European dormouse species in its capability, even in northern parts ofits distribution, of producing two litters; in exceptional cases, three litters have been recorded in a single season. Young-of-theyear females can breed as early as 2-3 months of age during the season in which they are born. In regions where they hibernate, young are usually born in May-September, but they have been recorded as late as October-November in England. Recent genetic studies indicate that the Hazel Dormouse has a promiscuous mating system where both sexes mate with multiple partners; consequently, young born in the same litter may have different fathers.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Hazel Dormouse is nocturnal and crepuscular. Activity commences between sunset and ¢.30 minutes after and ends about one hour before sunrise. Diurnal activity has been recorded during the afternoon, especially in autumn. Daily torporis a characteristic feature of the Hazel Dormouse and occurs most often in spring and autumn. Two patterns of annual biological cycle have been described in Hazel Dormice. The most common pattern exhibited across much of its distribution consists of hibernation period in winter. The second pattern is characterized by absence of hibernation—a pattern exhibited by some Mediterranean populations. Hibernation typically last ¢.6 months in October—April, but duration and timing depend on latitude, sex, and age. Hibernacula are usually located near the surface of the ground, covered only by a thin layer of leaves or moss. During hibernation, body temperatures remain very close to soil temperatures. Hibernation follows a characteristic pattern: torpor bouts up to 30 days are interrupted by bouts of euthermia lasting several hours.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Hazel Dormouse is predominantly arboreal and solitary. Adult males and femalesare solitary and have home ranges that partially overlap. Dormice of the same sex, however, usually are antagonistic toward neighbors during the breeding season. Hazel Dormice use c.1 ha annually and exploit different areas within their home range seasonally. Within their home range, individuals use several nests in closed cavities such as tree holes and nest boxes, or in thick tangles of woody vegetation. Hazel Dormice travel typically ¢.150 m (rarely 300 m) per night. Dispersing juveniles can enter home ranges of adults, and there is no hostility between adults and independent juveniles, especially of different sexes. Average density is only 1-2 adults/ha, but up to 5-10 adults/ha in the most favorable habitats. Although the Hazel Dormouse is arboreal, dispersingjuveniles and sedentary adults can move across open areas, moving on the ground for up to 200-500 m and even crossing wide roads. Ultrasonic vocalizations are largely used for social communication by Hazel Dormice.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Nevertheless, the Hazel Dormouse is considered threatened in many regions and is included in Annex IV of the Habitat &amp; Species Directive of the European Union and Appendix II of the Bern Convention. The Hazel Dormouse is included on national Red Lists in many European countries. Habitat loss due to deforestation, woodland fragmentation, and unfavorable forest management are major threats. Particular attention to conservation of the Hazel Dormouse is given in Great Britain, where it is included in the Species Recovery Programme and has been subject to the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme since the 1990s. Large efforts are now being made to protect populations of Hazel Dormice in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Flanders. Mouton and colleagues in 2012 advocated thatthe five isolated mitochondrial lineages be regarded as independent evolutionarily significant units for conservation management purposes, as outlined by C. Moritz in 1994 and 1999.</p><p>Bibliography. Airapetyants (1983), Amori, Hutterer, Krystufek, Yigit, Mitsain, Meinig &amp; Juskaitis (2008), Ancillotto, Sozio &amp; Mortelliti (2015), Ancillotto, Sozio, Mortelliti &amp; Russo (2014), Andera (1987), Avise &amp; Ball (1990), Berg &amp; Berg (1999), Bradley &amp; Baker (2001), Bright &amp; Morris (1996), Bright, Morris &amp; Mitchell-Jones (2006), Bright, Morris &amp; Wiles (1996), Bichner (2008), Chanin &amp; Gubert (2012), Corbet (1978), Eden (2009), Ellerman &amp; Morrison-Scott (1951), Juskaitis (1999, 2005, 2014), Juskaitis &amp; Baltrunaite (2013a), Juskaitis &amp; Blchner (2013), Juskaitis et al. (2013), Kelm et al. (2015), Krystufek &amp; Vohralik (2005), Lozan (1970), Marnell et al. (2013), Mills (2012), Moritz (1994, 1999), Morris (2011), Mortelliti, Amori et al. (2011), Mouton, Grill, Sara, KryStufek, Randi, Amori, Juskaitis, Aloise, Mortelliti, Panchetti &amp; Michaux (2012), Mouton, Grill, Sara, KryStufek, Randi, Amor, Juskaitis, Aloise, Mortelliti, Verbeylen et al. (2012), Naim et al. (2011), Panchetti et al. (2004), Pretzlaff &amp; Dausmann (2012), Ramakers et al. (2014), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Sara et al. (2001), Schulz et al. (2012), Sekeroglu et al. (2011), Spitzenberger &amp; Bauer (2001d), Storch (1978), Verbeylen (2012), Vilhelmsen (2003), Zima et al. (1994).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD4DD13C965FD79F59CF63C	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD4DD12CC64F484F5F3F951.text	9B215C43FFD4DD12CC64F484F5F3F951.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Myomimus roachi (Bate 1937)	<div><p>19.</p><p>Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse</p><p>Myomimus roachi</p><p>French: Loir de Roach / German: Mausschlafer / Spanish: Liron de Roach</p><p>Other common names: Bulgarian Dormouse, Mouse-tailed Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Philistomys roachi Bate, 1937,</p><p>late Pleistocene sediments in Tabun Cave, Mount Carmel, northern Israel.</p><p>When this species was first detected in Bulgaria in the late 1950s, it was thought to represent M. personatus, whose nearest collecting locality was ¢.3800 km east in north-eastern Iran. In 1976, O. L. Rossolimo recognized that the Bulgarian population represented a separate species of mouse-tailed dormouse and described it as a new species, M. bulgaricus, based on comparisons with extant species of mousetailed dormice. Fossils of this same animal (or a very close relative) from late Pleistocene sediments of Tabun Cave in northern Israel, an important Paleolithic site, had already been described in 1937 by D. M. A. Bate as a new genus and species under the name Philistomys roachi . Pleistocene fossils and recent subfossil material attributable to this species was also discovered at othersites in Israel, Greek Macedonia, eastern Aegean Islands, and southern Anatolia. In 1967, G. B. Corbet and P. A. Morris compared their subfossil specimens from Anatolia with specimens of extant dormice from Bulgaria and the type series of P. roachi, and they concluded that they all represented the same species, but at that time, the Bulgarian dormice were considered to be M. personatus . Thus, Corbet and Morris proposed that P. roachi was ajunior synonym of M. personatus . In 1975, G. Storch, independently of Rossolimo, realized that the eastern Mediterranean fossil and extant dormice represented a species distinct from M. personatus and applied the valid species name “roach?” to these animals. Because the genus Myomimus was described in 1924 by S. I. Ognev, 13 years before Bate described Phalistomys, Myomimus is the valid generic name. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. NE Mediterranean region, fragmented distribution in SE Bulgaria and W Turkey (E Thrace and the Aegean coast of W Anatolia); it may occur in NE Greece.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 86-136 mm, tail 65-94 mm, ear 13-17-7 mm, hindfoot 19-23 mm; weight 21-70 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is the largest species in the genus. Dorsal pelage is brownish gray, sometimes with rufous hue and conspicuous darkening toward mid-dorsal line in most individuals that often appears as conspicuous irregular dark stripe from crown to rump. Ventral pelage is predominantly white or cream. Sides of body, face, and cheeks appear paler, and dorsal pelage is clearly demarcated from ventral pelage. Eye mask and dark eye-rings are absent. Hindfeet are white or grayish-white, c.19% of head-body length. Tail is moderately long (c.78% of head-body length), sparsely covered with gray and grayish-white hairs, appearing virtually naked, and is distinctly bicolored, dark gray above and grayish white beneath. Condylobasal length is 24-28-1 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-6-16-2 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3:7-4-8 mm. External and cranial measurements are from Turkish and Bulgarian Thrace specimens.Chromosome number is 2n = 44. Females typically have seven pairs of nipples, one of the highest number in the dormouse family (2 pectoral + 3 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 14).</p><p>Habitat. [Lowland riparian forest and scrub and vineyards, orchards, and hedges that border cultivated fields. Availability oftree cavities in mature trees is a habitat requirement. Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormice use tree cavities for daily rest sites and between bouts of nighttime activity. They have commonly been captured in hedges with trees and understory vegetation on edges of cultivated fields. In Turkish Thrace Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormice were most often caught in trees, including fig, oak, willow, mulberry, and wild pear. A few individuals were captured on the ground or in blackberry bushes. Recent data from radio-tracked individuals discovered that they will occasionally forage in open grassland and will cross large open areas in search of food. While often associated with cultivation, Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormice are absent from intensely farmed areas that lack wooded borders; they are likewise not found in forest habitats. Based on fossil and subfossil evidence, Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse was much more broadly distributed in the eastern Mediterranean region during the Pleistocene and Holocene. As B. KrysStufek and V. Vohralik point out in 2005, their modern habitat is steppe-like but is mainly cultivated; Mediterranean steppe vegetation may have been preferred habitat of ancestral populations.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is omnivorous. Captive individuals reportedly prefer insects, especially mole crickets, grasshoppers, butterflies, and moths. In addition to insects and other invertebrates, they also readily ate lizards and a variety of fruits, seeds, and nuts. Studied stomach contents contained only green foxtail ( Setaria viridis, Poaceae) seeds. Individuals have also been observed foraging in cherry, walnut, and almond trees, berry bushes, vineyards, wheat fields, and grassy meadows feeding on seeds and insects have also been observed.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormice are 5-14 young and averages 8-2 young. Mating activity begins shortly after emergence from hibernation in late April or early May; females give birth at the end of May or beginning ofJune, c.44-51 days after emergence, according to observations of captive individuals. Gestation is c.30 days, and females probably produce one litter per year. Captive females gave birth to 5-6 offspring, but older females may have largerlitters, as evidenced by a female trapped in mid-May carrying 14 embryos; each measured c.4 mm. Birth weight of young bred in captivity has been reported to be 1-9-2-4 g; young gained an average of 0-24 g/day. After weaning at 29-31 days, young weighed 8-6-10-4 g and reached mean adult weight of 33-2 g by 120 days.</p><p>Activity patterns. Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is nocturnal and crepuscular. Two peak periods of activity have been observed: the first and longest period of activity lasted 1-2 hours after sunset through around midnight, and the second period lasted between two hours before and two hours after sunrise. Observed individuals spent most daylight hours sleeping in tree cavities 1-4 m aboveground. They used cavities in several trees within their home ranges for daytime rest or between periods of nighttime activity. While sleeping during the day in tree cavities in the wild and in nest boxes in captivity, individuals were commonly found in state of daily torpor. On an extremely hot day, a Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse was observed covering the hole of its tree cavity with walnut and other tree leaves, presumably to insulate against influx of hot air. Hibernation begins in midto late November and lasts through late April or early May. For hibernation, captive Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormice excavated burrows c.12 cm deep in the soil over several days and finally settled into hibernation. No nesting material was used, and the one entrance to the burrow was covered so that there was no obvious entrance. Three individuals hibernated together in one burrow, and two in the other, suggesting that in the wild individuals sometimes use common hibernacula. Of three adult individuals observed in captivity, two remained inactive under the soil for uninterrupted periods of 136 days and 142 days. One adult male emerged twice during the early days of hibernation and then finally settled in for 114 days.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormice are probably solitary. They are arboreal and terrestrial; more individuals have been captured in trees than on the ground, and observations in the wild and in captivity documented individuals in tree cavities and foraging in trees, shrubs, and occasionally nearby fields and meadows. Home range size is poorly studied, but a study provided estimates for three individuals: 2071 m? for the only male; 2095 m? for one female; and 6646 m® for the second female. One female traveled more than 40 m through plowed fields with no vegetation cover. The male’s range overlapped that of both females, and females’ ranges overlapped slightly. Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormice rest in several different tree cavities within their home ranges for daytime rest or between periods of nighttime activity. Individuals commonly interchanged nesting cavities in areas where home ranges overlapped, using a given cavity for 1-3 nights. Different individual dormice will use the same nest cavity on consecutive nights, but in the wild, individuals were not recorded cohabitating nest cavities. Nesting behavior for Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse falls into two broad categories: nesting during the day when they are active and nesting during periods of hibernation. During their active season, they spend much of the day in tree cavities; no nesting materials are used on a regular basis. Captive females have been recorded beginning lining their nest boxes within a week of parturition.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Roach’s Mousetailed Dormouse has a distribution ofless than 2000 km?, fragmented habitat, unknown potential threats, and low number of captured individuals. Although it may be locally common within very few localities such as Edirne in Turkish Thrace, overall population is thought to be declining. Krystufek and colleagues in 2009 further caution that distribution of Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is one of the smallest of all rodents in the western Palearctic region and that there is inadequate information available regarding population dynamics and trends. Major known threats include habitat destruction due to deforestation of buffer vegetation between cultivated fields, industrial agriculture, and degradation of habitat due to industrial activities and infrastructure.</p><p>Bibliography. Bate (1937), Buruldag &amp; Kurtonur (2001), Civitelli et al. (1994), Corbet &amp; Morris (1967), Georgiev (2004), Krystufek (2008), Krystufek &amp; Vohralik (2005), Krystufek et al. (2009), Kurtonur &amp; Ozkan (1991), Milchev &amp; Georgiev (2012), Nedyalkov (2013), Nedyalkov &amp; Staneva (2013), Ognev (1924), Peshev, Anguelova &amp; Dinev (1964), Peshev, Dinev &amp; Anguelova (1960), Popov (2011), Rossolimo (1976b), Simson et al. (1994), Storch (1975).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD4DD12CC64F484F5F3F951	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD5DD11CCC8F94AFD03FD04.text	9B215C43FFD5DD11CCC8F94AFD03FD04.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Myomimus setzeri Rossolimo 1976	<div><p>20.</p><p>Setzer’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse</p><p>Myomimus setzeri</p><p>French: Loir de Setzer / German: Setze-Mausschlafer / Spanish: Lirén de Setzer</p><p>Other common names: Iranian Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Myomimus setzert Rossolimo, 1976,</p><p>4 km west of Bane, Kordestan Province, western Iran.</p><p>This species is monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. Known only from three localities in extreme E Turkey (Sarikamis, Ishak Pasa Sarayi, and Bendimahi) and the Zagros Mts of NW Iran (Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, and Lorestan provinces). Distributional limits are not known.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head—body 75-88 mm, tail 60-67 mm, ear 14-15 mm, hindfoot 15 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. No sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage of Setzer’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is reddish brown, sometimes with copper hue, shorter and not as soft as that of Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormice ( M. personatus). Dorsal pelage darkens toward middorsal line. Darkening may be faint or appear as indistinct mid-dorsal stripe extending from crown to rump. Ventral pelage is predominantly white, with slate gray bases of ventral fur hairs. Sides of body and cheeks appear paler, and dorsal pelage is clearly demarcated from ventral pelage. Some individuals have dark fur under vibrissae and narrow, dark rings around eyes, creating appearance of subtle but distinct facial mask. Hindfeet are grayish white, c.19% of head—body length. Tail is moderately long (c.86% of head-body length), and sparsely haired. Tail color is whitish gray, darker above and paler on ventral surface. Condylobasal length is 20-4-20-7 mm, zygomatic breadth is 12 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3 mm. External and cranial and measurements are from type series. There is no information regarding chromosome number. Number of mammary glands is not known.</p><p>Habitat. Three individuals from Sarikamis in eastern Turkey were captured under the same large stone with grassy cover in sparse forest of mature pines. Setzer’s Mousetailed Dormice have also been found in pistachio ( Pistacia sp., Anacardiaceae) savanna. They have been recorded at elevations of 1800-2800 m.</p><p>Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Breeding. In Iran, female Setzer’s Mouse-tailed Dormice have been captured in late April and late May, and presumably breeding activity takes place soon after emergence from hibernation, as early as late April.</p><p>Activity patterns. Setzer’'s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is probably crepuscular and nocturnal. Captures of individuals as early as late April suggest that they emerge from hibernation by midto late April.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Setzer’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is probably solitary; it is semi-terrestrial or terrestrial. In an analysis of owl pellets in eastern Turkey, Setzer’s Mouse-tailed Dormice comprised only ¢.0-3% of all mammal prey species from four pooled localities, but the percentage was somewhat higher, at 1-8%, from four pooled localities in north-western Iran.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There is a lack of available data regarding habitat requirements, ecology, natural history, and potential threats. Setzer’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse was classified as Endangered in 1996. Population trend is unknown due to paucity of data. Fewer than ten individuals have been captured; all other records (twelve from Turkey and 41 from Iran) are from owl pellets, such as those of Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo).</p><p>Bibliography. Etemad (1978), Krystufek &amp; Vohralik (2005), Krystufek, Amori &amp; Mitsain (2008), Obuch (2001, 2014), Rossolimo (1976a), Rossolimo et al. (2001).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD5DD11CCC8F94AFD03FD04	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD6DD11C96DFC99F9CFF905.text	9B215C43FFD6DD11C96DFC99F9CFF905.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Myomimus personatus Ognev 1924	<div><p>21.</p><p>Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse</p><p>Myomimus personatus</p><p>French: Loir d'Ognev / German: Ognev-Mausschlafer / Spanish: Liron de Ognev</p><p>Other common names: Asiatic Dormouse, Masked Mouse-tailed Dormouse, Ognev’'s Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Myomimus personatus Ognev, 1924,</p><p>along the Sumbar River, near KaineKassyr, W Kopet Dag Mts, SW Turkmenistan.</p><p>In 1982, J. Niethammer identified owl pellet remains from a cave in west-central Afghanistan to be M. personatus based on dental and lower jaw morphology. Other mammal species identified in the owl pellets, such as Ochotona rufescens (Ochotonidae) and Blanfordimys afghanus (Cricetidae), led Niethammerto conclude that the owl pellet remains were historical, perhaps even centuries old, because neither the pika nor vole had been captured recently in the vicinity of the cave, or at such a low elevation of 1000 m. He surmised present local climatic conditions to be too xeric to support these species and suggested that pellets dated back to the Middle Ages when a more humid climate prevailed in the region. In Iran and Turkmenistan, Ochotona rufescens and Blanfordimys afghanus have distributions similar to M. personatus, so their occurrence together in owl pellet remains was not surprising. No additional examples of M. personatus have been recorded from Afghanistan in the 30 years since Niethammer’s findings, but the speciesis so rarely encountered that only ten individuals have been captured within its distribution in Iran and Turkmenistan since S. I. Ognev first discovered the species almost a century ago; all other records are from owl pellets. The species was not included in the most recent list of mammals of Afghanistan by K. Habibi in 2004, although future surveys in foothills and mountains near Herat adjacent to the Hari River Valley in Afghanistan may yield additional records. One common name applied to this species is the “Masked Mouse-tailed Dormouse”; some individuals have dark fur under their vibrissae and narrow, dark rings around their eyes, creating the appearance of a facial mask. Eye mask pattern is found in all three subfamilies of dormice; in M. personatus and Glis glis, its expression is subtle compared with other species such as Eliomys quercinus and Graphiurus ocularis . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. SW Asia, Kopet Dag Mts and Malyy Balkhan Mts of SW Turkmenistan and NE Iran; historic remains from WC Afghanistan discussed under taxonomy. Distributional limits are not known.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 73-77 mm, tail 53-69 mm, ear 14-15-7 mm, hindfoot 14-16-4 mm; weight 11-6 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is the smallest in the genus and usually characterized by facial markings and conspicuous mid-dorsal stripe. Dorsal pelage is pale ash-gray to pale tan, with dark mid-dorsal stripe from crown to rump that may appear indistinct or as broad, dark band. Ventral pelage is white. Sides of body and cheeks appear paler, and dorsal pelage is clearly demarcated from ventral pelage. Some individuals have dark fur under vibrissae and narrow, dark rings around eyes, creating appearance of eye mask; some individuals lack conspicuous dark eye-rings but have dark vibrissae spots. Hindfeet are white, ¢.21% of head-body length. Tail is sparsely haired and moderately long, c.81% of head-body length. Tail color is generally paler than that of dorsal pelage; dorsaltail color is darker than ventral surface. Greatest length of skull and zygomatic breadth measurements are not available; condylobasal length is 22-1-22-5 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-3-3-5 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are pooled values for specimens from Mount Dushak and Archabil District (= Firyuza), Turkmenistan, and for specimens from Tutli-Kala in the Sumbar River Valley (west Kopet Dag Mountains), Turkmenistan. Karyotype is 2n = 44. Number of mammary glands has not been reported. Glans penis is cylindrical and covered with small spines.</p><p>Habitat. Restricted to rocky semi-desert scrub, steppe, and xerophytic woodland. Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormice have been captured in dense grass and herbaceous cover among scattered rocks and rocky outcrops, in sparse shrubland and scrub, in grass or shrub cover among scattered almond trees, and in juniper woodland at elevations of 700-2400 m in gorges and river valleys such as the Sumbar River Basin, in foothills and slopes of the Kopet Dag and Malyy Balkhan Mountains, and on the summit of Mount Dushak.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormice are probably omnivorous. Captive individuals consumed small vertebrates such as lizards weighing up to 10-12 g and butterflies, longhorn beetle larvae, and other invertebrates. The type specimen and several additional specimens were captured at night during entomological surveys; bright light used to attract moths and other insects also lured insect-seeking Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormice.</p><p>Breeding. Reproductive activity of Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormice begins in midto late April shortly after they emerge from hibernation; a single litter is produced by late May. In the western Kopet Dag Mountains, three females pregnant with 8-12 embryos were captured in late April, and two females carrying six and nine embryos each were obtained in mid-May and appeared to be close to full-term; embryos measured 17 mm. Subadults with deciduous dentition were captured in the western Kopet Dag Mountains in early June.</p><p>Activity patterns. Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is crepuscular and nocturnal. Length of hibernation has not been documented, butfive pregnant females were captured in late April and mid-May, indicating that Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormice usually emerge in early April. One individual obtained during a cold,late spring in late April was either in a state of torpor or had not yet emerged from hibernation.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Scant habitat information combined with morphology suggests that Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse is terrestrial and rupicolous. It is probably solitary. Reports indicate that it easily climbs steep stone surfaces and it has been suggested that it nests in rock crevices and excavates nesting burrows among rocks.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. This classification is based on lack of information regarding distributional limits and population size. Population trend is classified as unknown due to only a handful of specimens, some of which were from owl pellets. Threats to the Ognev’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse and the Kopet Dag Woodlands ecoregion include clear cutting of woodland for firewood,still used as a primary fuel source in this region. Overgrazing by domestic cattle in watersheds and montane woodland has resulted in habitat destruction and mudslides. World Wildlife Fund classified the Kopet Dag Woodlands ecoregion as critical/ endangered in 2015. Its high levels of biodiversity and endemism of wild plant and animal species, many of which are rare or endangered, make conservation of this ecoregion a priority. The Ministry of Nature Protection of the Government of Turkmenistan developed a biodiversity strategy in 2002 that included an action plan for conservation, and three national parks have been established in the North Khorasan Province of Iran.</p><p>Bibliography. Csorba (1993), Darvish &amp; Rastegar-Pouyani (2012), Graphodatsky (2006), Gromov &amp; Erbajeva (1995), Habibi (2004), Kurbanov et al. (1990), Marinina et al. (1987), Ministry of Nature Protection of the Government of Turkmenistan (2002), Niethammer (1982), Obuch (2014), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Shenbrot &amp; Krystufek (2008), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD6DD11C96DFC99F9CFF905	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD6DD10CC68F85FF951FDE6.text	9B215C43FFD6DD10CC68F85FF951FDE6.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Selevinia betpakdalaensis Belosludov & Bazhanov 1938	<div><p>22.</p><p>Desert Dormouse</p><p>Selevinia betpakdalaensis</p><p>French: Loir du désert / German: Salzkrautbilch / Spanish: Lirén de desierto</p><p>Taxonomy. Selevinia betpakdalaensis Belosludov &amp; Bazhanov, 1938,</p><p>Kyzyl-Ui, Betpak-Dala Desert, southern Kazakhstan.</p><p>It was originally described as a new genus belonging to the family Muridae, based on dental formula and tooth morphology. Subsequently, V. S. Belosludov and B. A. Bazhanov realized that in many respects the new rodent resembled dormice, and Bazhanov and Belosludov in 1939 and 1941 created a new family, Seleviniidae, containing only the genus Selevinia . In 1947, S. 1. Ognev placed Selevinia in the same group as other dormice based on a suite of morphological characteristics—an arrangement independently arrived at by G. G. Simpson in 1945 andJ. R. Ellerman in 1949;all authors retained the genus in its own monotypic taxon at the subfamily or family level. Ognev further suggested that S. betpakdalaensis is most closely related to mouse-tailed like dormice ( Myomimus). Phylogenetic analyses of morphological characteristics by J. H. Wahlert and colleagues in 1993, G. Storch in 1994, and E. G. Potapova in 2001 and analysis of incisor enamel microstructure by W. von Koenigswald in 1993 and 1994 supported Ognev’s view that Selevinia and Myomimus are related. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. C &amp; E Kazakhstan, in deserts around Lake Balkhash (Dar’yalyktakyr Desert E to the Zaysan and Alakol basins). N distributional limit is uncertain, as records from Bayanaul, Pavlodar Region, require confirmation. Possibly occurs in adjacent areas of NW China.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 75-95 mm, tail 58-77 mm, ear 14-18 mm, hindfoot 16-17 mm; weight 19-21-4 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Dorsal pelage of the Desert Dormouse is silky, soft, thick, and pale gray to tawny gray, with faint speckled appearance due to black tips of hairs. Ventral pelage is white or pale gray, sometimes washed with yellow. Ventral pelage is well demarcated from dorsal pelage. Cheeks, muzzle, and areas above and below eyes appear paler; there is no conspicuous eye mask. Hindfeet are white, ¢.19% of head-body length. Desert Dormice do not have well developed footpads, nor do they have the long, semi-opposable fifth toe characteristic of all other dormouse species. Tail is moderately long, ¢.82% of head-body length, and is bicolored, sparsely covered with brown or dark brown hairs above and paler beneath. Skull is easily distinguished by the short tooth row of only three molars, longitudinal groove running down front face of each upper incisor, and greatly inflated auditory bullae. Greatest length of skull is 21-5-22-1 mm, zygomatic breadth is 12 mm, and upper tooth row length is 1-5-1-6 mm. External and cranial measurements from the type series from Kyzyl-Ui, Betpak-Dala Desert, Kazakhstan. Karyotype is not known.</p><p>Habitat. Desert and semi-desert environments in the Central Asian Northern Desert in southern and south-eastern Kazakhstan. The Desert Dormouse has been captured on gravel, stone, clay, loam, or alkaline substrates, with dense or sparse vegetation. Plants commonly recorded at collecting localities include sagebrush and wormwood ( Artemisia sp., Asteraceae); salsola ( Salsola sp.), anabasis ( Anabasis sp.,), and saxaul ( Haloxylon sp-,), all Amaranthaceae; ephedra ( Ephedra sp., Ephedraceae); tamarisk (7 Tamarix sp., Tamaricaceae); perennial saltworts such as anabasis ( Anabasis sp.); and a variety of cereal, thistle, and grasses. Individuals have also been captured under roots of shrubs, sometimes when shrubs were uprooted for firewood.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The Desert Dormouse is omnivorous but predominantly insectivorous and carnivorous. Morphological adaptations such as reduction of dentition and small-sized molars with concave, simple chewing surfaces are consistent with invertebrate-focused diets. Function of robust, grooved incisors is not known. Desert Dormice are not known to excavate burrows beyond shallow depressions, so incisors may be adapted for catching and immobilizing prey or to bite tough vegetation. Stomach contents in the type series included undigested salsola plant ( Salsola laricifolia), but in the wild and in captivity, Desert Dormice consumed mostly insects and other invertebrates. A captured young male refused all plant food offerings but consumed slain horseflies and otherflies that were offered. Captive Desert Dormice reportedly consumed moths, beetles, mealworms, woodlice, legs of tarantulas and other spiders, small lizards, and ground meat. This species will often eat small prey such as larvae and grasshoppers without killing them first. Soft parts of beetles and large insects such as locusts are also eaten, but firm exoskeleton and wings are left intact. Fecal pellets are said to be recognizable in the field because they are slightly oval in shape and crumble easily. Dry fecal pellets, combined with information from dietary intake and excretion analysis, suggest that they extract much of their daily water requirement from ingested food.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Desert Dormice are estimated to be 4-8 young. In the central Betpak-Dala Desert, a pregnant female was captured in mid-May carrying six embryos, and a lactating female was obtained in early June with seven placental scars. In the Zaysan Basin, a pregnant female was taken in mid-June carrying four embryos. One lactating female was captured in late May in the eastern Betpak-Dala, bearing eight placental scars. Young are born blind, withoutfur, and toothless but with well-developed whiskers.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Desert Dormouse is probably nocturnal and crepuscular. It has been captured during day and night and has most often been observed or collected during early morning hours or at twilight when locusts and grasshoppers are less active. Hibernation lasts ¢.5-5 months in October—March; timing of hibernation may be correlated with insect activity, especially that of grasshoppers and locusts. Desert Dormice were found under roots of tavolga plants ( Rosaceae) in November. In winters with continuous snow cover in November—March, traces or evidence of Desert Dormice moving beneath the snow were not found.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Desert Dormice are solitary, terrestrial, and semi-arboreal. Abundanceis likely low throughout its distribution, based on field observations and capture data. In more than 65 years since it was first described, only ¢.40 individuals have been collected from 30 localities. Desert Dormice spend much of their time on the ground, but they readily climb small branches on shrubs while catching insects and other prey and will remain balanced on the branch while consuming their prey. They typically move about by walking or running, often in small hops or jumps, and can jump straight up 20-25 cm. When disturbed, they sat motionless without trying to escape or ran rapidly from shrub to shrub, sometimes covering a considerable distance. All collected individuals were captured with bare hands. Desert Dormice sometimes bite when trying to escape, but bites are reportedly painless, even when they sink their teeth into the skin. They seemed to thrive for a while in captivity; one individual lived more than a year in the Almaty Zoo, Kazakhstan. Cages were filled with ¢.30 cm of soil, and unspun cotton was also provided as nesting material. Captive individuals rarely dug into the soil but built small spherical nests, although during cold weather one individual dug a shallow hole 38 cm long and usedit to rest in during the day. They possibly use burrows excavated by other species as nesting sites or daily rest sites. Wild Desert Dormice likely nest among and under roots of shrubs and perhaps in small fissures or cracks in the soil or substrate.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There are few records of the Desert Dormouse, and it is occurs sporadically over a large distribution of more than 100,000 km?. It was previously classified as Endangered in 1996. Population trend is unknown dueto its scarcity and because most localities have only yielded single individuals. The most serious threats to Desert Dormice include irrigated agriculture that accelerates erosion, sericulture (silk production) that requires irrigation of mulberry trees, overgrazing, and removal of woody shrubs for firewood. Predators include the pallid harrier (Circus macrourus), as evidenced by crop contents, and the long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus), based on stomach contents. Quite a few specimens were recorded in owl pellets, but the species of owl were not identified. Remains of Desert Dormice have occasionally been found in middens of Strelzow’s Mountain Vole ( Alticola strelzovi) that collect birds-of-prey pellets in their nests. The Central Asian Desert and Xeric Shrublands ecoregion supports a high level of biodiversity and endemic species and was classified as vulnerable by the World Wildlife Fund in 2015. Unregulated road construction and expanding oil and mineral extraction industries pose serious risks to this fragile desert ecosystem. There are some protected areas within the ecoregion, although funding to support these areas has declined.</p><p>Bibliography. Bazhanov &amp; Belosludov (1939, 1941), Belosludov &amp; Bazhanov (1938), Ehrlich &amp; Kashkarov (2005), Ellerman (1949), Gromov &amp; Erbajeva (1995), von Koenigswald (1993, 1994), Ognev (1947), Potapova (2001), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Simpson (1945), Sludskiy et al. (1977), Storch (1994), Tsytsulina (2008), Wahlert et al. (1993), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD6DD10CC68F85FF951FDE6	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD7DD17CCC3FCADFBF3F8F9.text	9B215C43FFD7DD17CCC3FCADFBF3F8F9.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Chaetocauda sichuanensis Wang Youzhi 1985	<div><p>23.</p><p>Sichuan Dormouse</p><p>Chaetocauda sichuanensis</p><p>French: Lérotin du Sichuan / German: Sichuan-Bilch / Spanish: Liron de Sichuan</p><p>Other common names: Chinese Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Chaetocauda sichuanensis Wang Youzhi, 1985,</p><p>Wang-lang Nature Reserve, [2480 m,] Pingwu county, northern Sichuan Province, China.</p><p>Most authors agree with placement of C. sichuanensis in the subfamily Leithiinae, including Wang Youzhi in 1985, M. E. Holden in 1993, R. Daams and H. de Bruijn in 1994, O. LL. Rossolimo and colleagues in 2001, and Holden in 2005. Its position within the subfamily is uncertain and is regularly debated. Few researchers have had access to specimens, and thus hypotheses regarding evolutionary relationships and taxonomy have been based solely on photographs and illustrations in the original description. In 1993, Holden included this species in the genus Dryomys because in certain respects it resembled specimens of forest dormice from Balochistan, Pakistan, that Holden later described in 1996 as a new species, Dryomys niethammeni . C. sichuanensis and D. niethammer: have inflated bullae, long incisive foramina, and certain features of the baculum in common. Holden in 2005 later recognized Chaetocauda at the generic level and stated reevaluation of cranial and dental traits suggested a close relationship with Mouse-tailed Dormice as Wang Youzhy first hypothesized in 1985, a position first substantiated by G. Storch in 1994 based on a suite of cranial and dental characters, and later amplified by Rossolimo and colleagues in 2001. Recently, A. T. Smith in 2008 and 2013 provided the first illustration of C. sichuanensis pelage, and depicted the tail as being thinly haired, similar to that of Myomimus, except for the prominent tufted tip; this lends further credence to affinity ofthis dormouse with mouse-tailed dormice. Distribution of extant and extinct species of Myomimus as summarized by Daams and de Bruijn in 1994 likewise adds plausibility to the idea that C. sichuanensis may be a relictual descendent population of Myomimus or Myomimuslike ancestors, isolated by chance, environmental factors, or vicariance events in the seismically active mountains of northern Sichuan where it occurs. In 1994, Storch also hypothesized that C. sichuanensis and Selevinia betpakdalaensis are each others’ closest relatives, based upon the shared characteristics of grooved incisors, reduced complexity of occlusal surface of cheekteeth, and greatly inflated auditory bullae, but based on studies of middle ear morphology, E. G. Potapova hypothesized in 2001 that S. betpakdalaensis and mouse-tailed dormice are sister taxa. Due to inaccessibility of specimens, molecular phylogenetic analyses of Gliridae were not able to include Chaetocauda to aid in clarifying its taxonomic position.</p><p>Distribution. SC China, known only from the type locality in Wanglang Nature Reserve, Pingwu County, N Sichuan Province. Distributional limits are not known.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 90-91 mm, tail 92-102 mm, ear 17-18-5 mm, hindfoot 18-5-19 mm; weight 24-5-36 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. The Sichuan Dormouse is readily distinguishable by its tufted tail and combination of grooved incisors, wide interorbit, long incisive foramina, and greatly inflated bullae. Dorsal pelage is reddish brown; ventral pelage is white. Dorsal and ventral pelage colors are clearly delineated. Sides of body and cheeks appear paler; head color matches that of dorsal pelage. Eyes are large and outlined by dark chestnut eye-rings; inconspicuous chestnut eye mask extends from eyes to muzzle. Ears are brown, large, and rounded. Cheeks are white, forming part of pale lateral stripe that extends from cheeks to shoulders. Pale gray postauricular patches are present. Hindfeet are white, ¢.20% of head-body length. Tail is long, ¢.110% of head-body length; dorsaltail color is similar to that of dorsal pelage, and ventral surface is paler. Tail tip has conspicuous tuft of dense hairs; hairs on tip of tail are 6-9 mm long. Greatest length of skull is 26-3-27-2 mm, zygomatic breadth is 15-1-15-3 mm, incisive foramina length is 5-5-2 mm, auditory bullae length is 8-:8-8-9 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-5 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are those of type and paratype specimens collected in Wanglang Nature Reserve, China. Chromosome number is not known. Females have four pairs of nipples (lI pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Subalpine old growth of mixed broadleaf and conifer forest. Wanglang Nature Reserve is situated in the Min (= Minshan) Mountains at elevations of 2320-4891 m; elevational distribution of the Sichuan Dormouse is not known. In addition to a variety of bamboo (including Fargesia sp. and Bambusa sp.) growing throughout much of the Reserve, predominantly virgin forest is dominated by conifers such as fir ( Abies sp.), pine ( Pinus sp.), larch ( Larix sp.), and spruce ( Picea sp.), and trees of the Fagaceae family such as oak ( Quercus sp.) and beech ( Fagus sp.). Other common tree species include red birch ( Betula albosinensis, Betulaceae); deodar cedar ( Cedrus deodara) and dragon spruce ( Picea asperata), both Pinaceae; gingko ( Ginkgo biloba, Ginkgoaceae); dove tree (Davidia involucrata, Cornaceae); katsura ( Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Cercidiphyllaceae); and Chinese tulip ( Liriodendron chinense, Magnoliaceae).</p><p>Food and Feeding. Little is known about the diet and foraging habits of the Sichuan Dormouse, but contents of the type specimens contained mixture of green plant material and starch.</p><p>Breeding. Estimated litter size is four young. Pregnant females were captured in May. One adult female was carrying four fetuses, two in each uterine horn, measuring 11 mm in diameter.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Sichuan Dormouse is probably predominantly nocturnal, although it has been occasionally observed during the day foraging for leaves and moving about in trees.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Sichuan Dormouse is probably solitary. Only five individuals have been captured in the 30 years since it was first described. Sichuan Dormice construct nests 3-3-5 m off the ground on small branches. In 1985, Wang Youzhi described one nest in detail. Outer supporting skeleton of the nest was made of small branches bent to form a frame, and it was attached with moss. Entire nest was ¢.12 cm in diameter, and it was thickest toward the center. Central area was wrapped in layers of red birch bark, and its inner chamber was lined with fine needles. Lined bottom of the nest was c.3 cm in depth. Diameter of circular nest entrance was ¢.3 cm. Sichuan Dormice might also nest in tree cavities.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There are only five known specimens of the Sichuan Dormouse, and information regarding habitat parameters, population trends, and potential threats is lacking. It was previously listed in 1996 as Endangered. Wanglang Nature Reserve, in which the Sichuan Dormouse occurs, has been protected for more than 50 years and provides critical habitat for the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and many other species;it is connected with other suitable Giant Panda habitat by bamboo “corridors,” consisting of planted strips of forest and bamboo that link reserves and pockets of forestUntil more information is available regarding population size, density, and biology,it is difficult to assess the Sichuan Dormouse’s conservation risk and what efforts should be recommended. Deforestation is the most pressing threat; despite status of Wanglang as a nature reserve, logging activities within nature reserves and adjacent areas have been documented. Illegal loggers often clear cut the easier to reach riparian forest, resulting in devastating habitat destruction and landslides. Other threats include expanding human development and construction of roads throughout the bamboo-forest corridor.</p><p>Bibliography. Daams &amp; de Bruijn (1994), Holden (1993, 1996a, 2005), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Potapova (2001), Smith (2008a, 2013), Smith &amp; Johnston (2008p), Storch (1994), Wang Youzhi (1985), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD7DD17CCC3FCADFBF3F8F9	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD0DD16C972F7D8FBA5FA11.text	9B215C43FFD0DD16C972F7D8FBA5FA11.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Dryomys nitedula (Pallas 1778)	<div><p>24.</p><p>Eurasian Forest Dormouse</p><p>Dryomys nitedula</p><p>French: Lérotin de forét / German: Baumschlafer / Spanish: Liron euroasiatico</p><p>Other common names: Forest Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Mus nitedula Pallas, 1779,</p><p>Kazan region, near Volga River, Republic of Tatarstan.</p><p>Records from Balochistan, southern Pakistan, have not been verified; see comments under D. niethammeri . Confusion exists as to the publication date of the original description ofthis species by P. S. Pallas in part two of his Novae Species Quadrupedum e Glirum Ordine, but C. D. Sherborn in 1891 clarified the date to be 1779.</p><p>The type locality is often listed in the literature as “Lower Volga, Russia,” but as noted by S. I. Ognev in 1947, Pallas described this species based on specimens from oak forests of the Kazan region within what is now the Republic of Tatarstan. Pallas’s original 1779 text refers to “ad Volgam,” indicating the vicinity of the Volga River. Examination of museum specimens and detailed discussions of morphological variation and biogeography by G. Storch in 1978, B. Krystufek and V. Vohralik in 1994, M. G. Filippucci and colleagues in 1994, and others led M. E. Holden in 1993 and 2005 to surmise that more than one speciesis likely contained within D. nitedula . An allozymic and biometric study of southern populations by Filippucci and colleagues in 1994 provided strong support for recognizing the Israeli population of Dryomys as a valid species, a conclusion bolstered by ecological differences documented by E. Nevo and E. Amir in 1961, phallic and bacular morphology by S. Simson and colleagues in 1994, and multivariate and genetic analyses by N. Yigit and colleagues in 2011. Filippucci and colleagues in 1994 discussed the problem of applying an existing scientific name to the Israeli population. Results from the mtDNA phylogeographic study by O. O. Grigoryeva and colleagues in 2014 and 2015 revealed that the Caucasus population of Dryomys (formerly recognized as a subspecies, D. nitedula ognevi) and central Russian Plain populations have a cytochrome-b gene sequence divergence value of 9-3% thatis indicative of species-level divergence. They hypothesized that the gap in forested steppe between the lower Don and Kuban rivers resulted in prolonged isolation of the Caucasus populations throughout the Pleistocene. Besides species level differences between the central Russian Plain and Caucasian populations, Grigoryeva and colleagues found that the Caucasian populations contains two sublineages: one occurs in the western Caucasus, and was described as a new subspecies, heptneri, and the other inhabits the central and eastern Caucasus. The cytochrome-b gene sequence divergence value between the two Caucasian lineages is ¢.6%, which may indicate that the two Caucasian populations represent two closely related species; Grigoryeva and colleagues cautioned that further study is needed to clarify the taxonomic status of these populations. Whether Caucasian populations represent one or more valid species, applying the correct existing scientific name is problematic. As discussed by Krystufek &amp; Vohralik in 2005, geographicallimits of historically described subspecies and synonymy of subspecies names have not been documented. A comprehensive study that includes samples of all type specimens of all relevant named D. nitedula taxa is required to definitively assign the appropriate scientific name to the putative Caucasian and Israeli species. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. From E Switzerland through E &amp; S Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus to C Russia and C Asia, reaching as far as 90° E in NW Xinjiang (China), and W Mongolia.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 79-103 mm, tail 66-96 mm, ear 11-15 mm, hindfoot 17-23-5 mm. In Lithuania, average body weight of adults is ¢.30 g in summer but c.43 g before hibernation. Tails of the Eurasian Forest Dormouse sometimes are truncated by damage because of false tail autotomy. Bushy tail gives it a squirrel-like appearance. Across the large distribution, dorsal pelage of adults varies from pale ash-gray to grayish brown and even bright rust, while under parts are yellowish white. Black stripes surround eyes and extend to rounded and short ears, forming conspicuous facemask. Tail is uniform in color but grayer than dorsum. Condylobasal length of skull is 21-25-3 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-6-16-3 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-5—4-6 mm. Angular process is perforated. External and cranial measurements for adults after first hibernation are from former Czechoslovakia and Austria. Eurasian Forest Dormice are larger and heavier in eastern part of the distribution, especially in Mongolia and China. Chromosome numberis stable at 2n = 48 throughout its distribution. Females have four pairs of nipples (1 pectoral + I abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Variety of habitats including broad-leaved, mixed, and coniferous forests; orchards; and Mediterranean evergreen shrubs. Eurasian Forest Dormice are widespread in mountains within different types of forest, including dwarf mountain pine ( Pinus mugo, Pinaceae) woodland and rocky areas devoid of trees and shrubs. Presence of shrub layer and dense young trees in understory are main habitat requirements, and the common name “Bush Dormouse” would be more appropriate. In different parts ofits distribution, Eurasian Forest Dormice mainly use two types of nests: those situated in closed cavities in tree hollows or nest boxes, or nests constructed among thick and preferably thorny twigs.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Vegetation forms most of the diet of the Eurasian Forest Dormouse in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Moldova where orchards are present or wild fruiting trees are abundant. They feed on apricots, apples, pears, plums, oak acorns, beechnuts, and also insects. Proportion of food of animal origin is higher in diets of Eurasian Forest Dormice in northern and western parts of the distribution, where they prey on birds that nest in nest boxes or tree hollows, consuming adult birds, fledglings, and eggs. Adult insects, insect larvae, and millipedes make up a significant proportion of their diet. Inflorescences of different trees, raspberries, bilberries,fruit of glossy buckthorn ( Frangula alnus, Rhamnaceae), and hazel nuts also are eaten.</p><p>Breeding. Considerable variation exists in duration of breeding season, number of litters, and litter size across the distribution of the Eurasian Forest Dormouse. In Europe, only one litter is produced per year, and young are born in May-June. Average litter size varies from 3-2 young in Lithuania to 4-7 embryos in central Ukraine; four is the most frequent litter size recorded (range 1-6). In the Caucasus, Central Asia, Mongolia, and China, two litters may be produced per season. In Israel, breeding season occurs in March-December, and females may have been recorded to produce 2-3 litters/season, but average littersize of only 2-7 young (range 1-4) is the lowest across the distribution of the Eurasian Forest Dormouse. In central and eastern parts of the distribution, average litter sizes are comparatively high: 4-3 in Tajikistan, 4-6 in Kirgizstan, 5-1 in Azerbaijan, and 5-7 (range 3-9) in Mongolia. Gestation lasts 27-28 days. At c.1-5 months old, young can live independently. Females become reproductively active after their first hibernation. Six years is the maximum longevity recorded in the wild, but one individual survived more than eight years in captivity.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Eurasian Forest Dormouse is predominantly nocturnal but also crepuscular. In Romania, activity begins just before sunset in summer but about onehalf hour after sunset in autumn; it usually ends about half-hour before sunrise, independent of season. Daytime activity has also been recorded, and it is supposed to be associated with mating season. Daily torpor is infrequent in free-ranging Eurasian Forest Dormice. Activity season lasts only c¢.4-5 months from late April through early September on northern edge of the distribution (e.g. Lithuania and Tatarstan), but it is reportedly longer in southern populations. For example, they are active for up to eight months in Bulgaria (April-November). Like most other dormouse species, Eurasian Forest Dormice hibernate during the rest of the year, but winter activity was recorded in Bialowieza Forest, Poland, during comparatively warm periods. Hibernation nests are situated underground, often undertree roots. In the south-western part of its distribution in Israel, they are active throughout the year with short periods of torpor in winter.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Eurasian Forest Dormice are arboreal and predominantly solitary. They are excellent climbers, but they also descend to the ground. They are usually solitary, but pairs of adult males and females are observed in the breeding season. Cohabitation of two adult females in the same shelter without communal nesting has occasionally been recorded. Groups of different age composition are most often found in nest boxes when juveniles become independent. Home ranges of adults partly overlap those of several neighboring dormice. Home ranges of males are larger than those of females. Average densities are comparatively very low in Eastern Europe; less than 1 ind/ha has been recorded in Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine, but densities up to 20 ind/ha were estimated in Moldova, Armenia, and Mongolia. Eurasian Forest Dormice produce many high-frequency vocalizations, including ultrasound signals that appear to be social.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List. The Eurasian Forest Dormouse has a wide distribution and stable population trend throughout most of its distribution. They have broad habitat tolerances and are found in many protected areas. In Europe, they are considered rare and are protected by international law under the European Union Habitats and Species Directive and the Bern Convention where these apply. The Eurasian Forest Dormouse is red-listed in some European countries, mainly those situated at the periphery of its distribution (e.g. Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Switzerland, and also Mongolia). Despite its fragmented distribution, the Eurasian Forest Dormouse has the widest distribution of all Palearctic dormouse species.</p><p>Bibliography. Airapetyants (1983), Andera (1987 2011), Angermann (1963), Arslan &amp; Zima (2014), Batsaikhan et al. (2008), Corbet (1978), Davydov (1984), Dogramaci &amp; Kefelioglu (1990), Duma &amp; Giurgiu (2012), Ellerman &amp; Morrison-Scott (1951), Filippucci et al. (1994), Golodushko &amp; Padutov (1961), Graphodatsky (2006), Grigoryeva, Balakirev, Stakheev et al. (2014), Grigoryeva, Balakirev, Sycheva et al. (2015), Grigoryeva, Krivonogov et al. (2015), Habibi (2004), Hassinger (1973), Holden (1993, 1996a, 2005), Juskaitis (1999, 2015), Juskaitis &amp; Baltrunaite (2013b), Juskaitis et al. (2012), KryStufek (1985, 1999b), Krystufek &amp; Vohralik (1994, 2005), Likhachev (1972), Lozan (1970), Lozan et al. (1990), Markov et al. (2009), Mitsainas et al. (2008), Mohammadi et al. (2013), Moradi-Gharahkloo (2009), Nevo &amp; Amir (1961, 1964), Nowakowski (2001), Nowakowski &amp; Godlewska (2006), Ognev (1947), Pallas (1779), Peshev &amp; Delov (1994), Pilats et al. (2012), Roberts (1977 1997 2005), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Samarskii &amp; Samarskii (1979), Satunin (1920), Scinski &amp; Borowski (2006), Sekeroglu &amp; Sekeroglu (2011), Sherborn (1891), Simson et al. (1994), Smith (2013), Spitzenberger &amp; Bauer (2001a), Srinivasulu &amp; Srinivasulu (2012), Storch (1978), Stubbe, Dawaa &amp; Dorz (1986), Stubbe, Stubbe et al. (2012), Yigit, Colak, Colak, Ozkan &amp; Ozkurt (2003), Yigit, Colak, Colak, Ozliik et al. (2011), Zima et al. (1994).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD0DD16C972F7D8FBA5FA11	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD1DD16C9C6F9B5F7D3F6A5.text	9B215C43FFD1DD16C9C6F9B5F7D3F6A5.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Dryomys laniger Felten & Storch 1968	<div><p>25.</p><p>Woolly Forest Dormouse</p><p>Dryomys laniger</p><p>French: Lérotin laineux / German: Felsenschlafer / Spanish: Liron lanudo</p><p>Other common names: Woolly Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Dryomys laniger Felten &amp; Storch, 1968,</p><p>Ciglikara, 2000 m, Bey Mountains, Antalya, Turkey.</p><p>Support for recognition of D. laniger has been amplified by morphological analyses by H. Felten and colleagues in 1973, M. E. Holden in 1996, E. Kivan¢ and colleagues in 1997, and N. Yigit and colleagues in 2003 and 2011, ecological details and records of sympatry by F. Spitzenberger in 1976, karyological differences reported by Kivan¢ and colleagues in 1997, and molecular analyses by M. G. Filippucci and colleagues in 1996, C. Montgelard and colleagues in 2003, and Yigit and colleagues in 2011. Relationships among the three currently recognized species of Dryomys have not been comprehensively studied. Only gene sequences of D. nitedula and D. laniger have been analyzed in a phylogenetic context; whether or not these two species are each other’s closest relatives has yet to be determined. Montgelard and colleagues in 2003 estimated that D. nitedula and D. laniger diverged c.17 million years ago during the early Miocene based on mtDNA and nDNA analyses, corroborating earlier findings of high levels of genetic differentiation between the two species byFilippucci and colleagues in 1996. Montgelard and colleagues estimated a more recent divergence time for extant species of Eliomys; even if actual divergence times are several milion years younger due to calibration error, the two extant Dryomys species sampled appear to have diverged c.10 million years earlier than extant species of Eliomys . Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. SW, S &amp; E Turkey (W Taurus Mts and E Anatolia).</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 83-96 mm, tail 48-76 mm, ear 11:3-17-4 mm, hindfoot 15-1-19 mm; weight 17-32 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. The Woolly Forest Dormouse is the smallest in the genus, with relatively shorter tail and no conspicuous eye mask. Adult dorsal pelage color is tawny or brownish ash-gray. Dorsal pelage texture is dense and soft. Ventral pelage is predominantly white or cream, with dark gray bases of ventral fur hairs barely visible; dorsal pelage is clearly delineated from ventral pelage. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage; face becomes paler toward rostrum, and cheeks are white. Narrow, inconspicuous dark brown rings encircle eyes. Ears are brown, somewhat long, and rounded; post-auricular patches are not present. Hindfeet are white and short compared with other members of this genus, c.19% of head-body length. Tail is relatively short, ¢.76% of head—body length. Dorsal tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, and ventral tail color is markedly paler. White hairs are scattered throughouttail fur, and tail is conspicuously laterally fringed and tipped in white. Skull is small and delicately built with narrow rostrum. Highly inflated auditory bullae are proportionately comparable to those of Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse ( D. niethammeri). Condylobasal length is 22-26-7 mm, zygomatic breadth is 13-3-15-5 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-2-3-8 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are from pooled Turkish samples. Chromosome number is 2n = 46. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Rocky situations with moderate to sparse vegetation at elevations of 1620-2950 m; individuals have often been captured above timberline. Woolly Forest Dormice are rock dwellers and have been captured in crevices of weathering limestone, small caves, crevices and cavities under boulders and rock outcrops, and stony fields and scree. In south-western Anatolia, vegetation near sites of capture is dominated by conifers such as cedar ( Cedrus libani), juniper ( Juniperus excelsa, J. foetidissima, and Joxycedrus), cypress ( Cupressus sempervirens), or fir ( Abies cilicica), and oak ( Quercus coccifera); vegetation in central and eastern Anatolia localities is sparse.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Woolly Forest Dormice are omnivorous, predominantly insectivorous. Exams of stomach contents from 19 individuals contained only arthropods in 13 stomachs, and a mixture of arthropods and olive daphne (Daphne oleoides, Thymelacaceae) berries in six stomachs. Captive individuals ate cat chow supplemented with nuts, sunflower seeds, fresh apple, and fresh pear.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of Woolly Forest Dormice are 3-5 young. There are records of pregnant females captured throughout the month of June through early July; one female was carrying three large embryos, measuring 14-7 x 9-1 mm. Lactating females were collected in late June through mid-August. Juveniles were captured during the first one-half of August. One litter is produced per year and some females may remain reproductively inactive during the breeding season. In mid-June, males with enlarged testes, measuring 12 x 5-2 mm to 11-1 x 5-5 mm, were captured;testes had regressed and measured 6-4-6-6 mm long by mid-August.</p><p>Activity patterns. Woolly Forest Dormice are nocturnal and have been reported to hibernate. M. K. Gir and colleagues in 2013 studied five wild caught individuals in a controlled laboratory setting that simulated natural conditions in terms of photoperiod and seasonal temperatures. Captive individuals were provided with unlimited food and water throughout the study. They gained at least 47% of their body mass in c.1 month between late September and late October, after which they entered hibernation; at least 28% of their body mass was lost during hibernation. Gur and colleagues concluded that Woolly Forest Dormice relied mostly on fat reserves during hibernation because individuals did not consume measurable amounts of food during hibernation. At 18°C in a controlled light-dark cycle environment, all individuals exhibited circadian body temperature rhythmicity, with body temperature highest at night when lights were turned off, as is characteristic of nocturnal mammals; all individuals also entered daily torpor, although frequency varied among individuals. All individuals entered hibernation within 1-3 days after ambient temperature was lowered to 5°C and lights were kept continuously off; hibernation consisted of a sequence of multiday bouts of torpor interrupted by euthermic intervals. Hibernation in captive individuals lasted from late October through mid-April.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Woolly Forest Dormice are rupicolous and solitary. They are highly adapted to navigating cervices and surfaces of rock. In addition to their gray color and relatively long vibrissae, they have enlarged palmar pads arranged in a circle to provide suction, enlarged pads on digits, and ventral surfaces of digits are ridged as is found in certain species of house geckos (Hemidactylus); all of these features aid in adhesion and agile locomotion over smooth, steep rock surfaces.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Woolly Forest Dormouse has a fragmented distribution due to patchy occurrence ofsuitable habitat in high-elevation rocky situations;little information is known about population trends and abundance. No major conservation threats have been identified, although localized threats include rock mining activities and dam construction.</p><p>Bibliography. Felten &amp; Storch (1968), Felten et al. (1973), Filippucci et al. (1996), Gur et al. (2013), Holden (19964), Kivang et al. (1997), KryStufek &amp; Vohralik (2005), KryStufek &amp; Yigit (2008), Montgelard et al. (2003), Mursaloglu (1973), Obuch (2001), Spitzenberger (1976), Spitzenberger &amp; Eberl-Rothe (1974), Yigit, Colak, Colak, Ozkan &amp; Ozkurt (2003), Yigit, Colak, Colak, Ozliik etal. (2011).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD1DD16C9C6F9B5F7D3F6A5	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD1DD15CCBDF638FF70F4D5.text	9B215C43FFD1DD15CCBDF638FF70F4D5.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Dryomys niethammeri Holden 1996	<div><p>26.</p><p>Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse</p><p>Dryomys niethammeri</p><p>French: Lérotin de Niethammer / German: Belutschistan-Baumschlafer / Spanish: Liron de Niethammer</p><p>Other common names: Balochistan Forest Dormouse, Baluchistan Forest Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Dryomys niethammer: Holden, 1996,</p><p>one mile east of Ziarat, [30-25 N, 67-49 E, above 2591 m,] Balochistan Province, Pakistan.</p><p>This species is currently known only from three positively identified specimens from Balochistan, Pakistan, although an additional five specimens of the type series may exist in collections of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council as discussed by M. E. Holden in 1996. Additional specimens mentioned by T. |]. Roberts in 1977 and 1997 from Wam, near Quetta, and near Harboi may also represent D. niethammeri, but Holden in 1996 was unable to locate these specimens. Dryomys nitedula has historically only been documented in north-western Pakistan, as mapped by Holden in 1996, and not documented in close proximity to the distribution of D. niethammeri; however, recently specimens were identified as D. nitedula by M. Z. Khan and S. Siddiqui in 2011 from south-west of Quetta. These specimens would provide the first confirmed records of D. nitedula in Balochistan, although J. D. Hassinger in 1973 recorded it in adjacent southern Afghanistan. Supposed specimen records of D. nitedula from Balochistan, Pakistan, shown in distribution maps by T. J. Roberts in 1977 and 1997 and N. Batsaikhan and colleagues in 2008 represent D. niethammeri as discussed in Holden 1996 and 2005. Two photographs of dormice included in Roberts’s 2005 field guide likely depict both species of forest dormouse that occur in Pakistan. The top photograph closely resembles the type specimen of D. niethammeri, as noted by Holden in 1996, Roberts and colleagues captured seven dormice at and near the type locality, including the holotype. The lower photograph is clearly an example of D. nitedula . A locality identified by a question mark in Roberts’s 1977 and 1997 publications was apparently an error, possibly a plotting error of the Harboi locality; presumably following Roberts, Batsaikhan and colleagues in 2008 indicated that D. nitedula are “probably extant” at the locality in question. Roberts did not plot the uncertain locality in 2005. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. SW Pakistan, only know from Balochistan Province (NE of Quetta, Urak Valley, and from one mile E of Ziarat).</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 99-103 mm, tail 93 mm, ear 18-20 mm, hindfoot 21 mm; weight 33-38 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse is similar in size to the Eurasian Forest Dormouse ( D. nitedula) but has highly inflated auditory bullae and relatively longer incisive foramina. Dorsal pelage color of Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse is tawny ash-gray, with no conspicuous darkening toward midline. Dorsal pelage texture is soft and somewhat long (rump hairs 11-13 mm, guard hairs up to 15-16 mm). Ventral pelage is uniformly cream colored, and dorsal pelage is clearly delineated from ventral pelage. Head color matches that of dorsal pelage; face is paler. Conspicuous brownish black eye mask extends from bases of ears to vibrissae; eye mask is conspicuous but not as broad as that of Eurasian Forest Dormouse. Ears of Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse are brown, somewhat long, and rounded; post-auricular patches are not present. Hindfeet are white and long, ¢.21% of head-body length. Tail is long, ¢.94% of head-body length, based only on measurement of the type specimen, because the other two specimens’ tails are damaged. Dorsal tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage, and ventral tail color is paler; white hairs are scattered throughout tail fur, and tail is conspicuously tipped in white. Tail hairs are shorter at base oftail and longer toward tip. Skull is moderately large, comparable in size to Eurasian Forest Dormouse, but more gracile and with greatly inflated auditory bullae. Condylobasal length is 24-9-25-4 mm, zygomatic breadth is 15-9 mm, and upper tooth row length is 3-6-3-8 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are from holotype plus two additional specimens from Balochistan, Pakistan. Chromosome number is not known. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Dry steppe-forest or sparse woodland, recorded at elevations of 1981 m to above 2591 m. At the type locality near Ziarat above 2591 m, Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse was collected in dry steppe-juniper forest of scattered juniper ( Juniperus excelsa, Cupressaceae), with shrubs of legume ( Sophora griffithii, Fabaceae) and wormwood ( Artemisia maritima, Asteraceae), mixed with scattered stone fruit ( Prunus eburnea, Rosaceae) and barberry ( Berberis baluchistanica, Berberidaceae). A single specimen collected in the Urak Valley at 1981 m was captured in an area characterized as having fewer juniper trees but scattered stunted bushes and small trees with an understory similar to that at Ziarat.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse is probably omnivorous. Five individuals in snap traps baited with fresh fruit have been captured.</p><p>Breeding. There is no information available for this species.</p><p>Activity patterns. Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse is probably nocturnal and a hibernator, butits specific activity patterns are virtually unknown.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information available for this species, but Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse is probably solitary, and arboreal and terrestrial.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse has a limited and fragmented distribution ofless than 20,000 km? and severe fragmentation and decline in quality of suitable forest and woodland habitat has occurred in this area. Niethammer’s Forest Dormouse is endemic to Pakistan; however, limits of its distribution have yet to be determined. Threats include fragmentation and degradation of habitat due to overgrazing and removal of wood and expanding agriculture and human settlements. An influx of refugees during recent years has intensified human population pressures and accelerated degradation and fragmentation of habitat. There are protected areas in and near distribution ofthis species such as Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park, near Quetta.</p><p>Bibliography. Batsaikhan et al. (2008), Beg (1975), Champion et al. (1965), Gippoliti (2008), Hassinger (1973), Holden (1996a, 2005), Khan &amp; Siddiqui (2011), Roberts (1977 1997 2005), Srinivasulu &amp; Srinivasulu (2012), WWF (2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD1DD15CCBDF638FF70F4D5	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD2DD14C96DF38AFB15F86A.text	9B215C43FFD2DD14C96DF38AFB15F86A.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Eliomys melanurus (Wagner 1840)	<div><p>27.</p><p>Black-tailed Garden Dormouse</p><p>Eliomys melanurus</p><p>French: Lérot dAsie / German: Loffelbilch / Spanish: Liron careto de cola negra</p><p>Other common names: Asian Garden Dormouse, Large-eared Garden Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Myoxus melanurus Wagner, 1839,</p><p>Sinai. Restricted by J. A. Nader and colleagues in 1983 to “vicinity of Mount Sinai,” Egypt.</p><p>In 1983, Nader and colleagues clarified the publication date of A. Wagner's original description of genus Eliomys and this species to be 1839, and restricted the type locality to the vicinity of Mt Sinai, Egypt. Skull of the holotype, which was thought to be lost, was located and figured by R. Kraft and B. Krvstufek in 2009. This species has historically been listed as a synonym of E. quercinus as exemplified by J. Niethammer in 1959 and G. B. Corbet in 1978, but it has subsequently been considered a valid species based on morphological, karyological, and genetic studies reviewed by M. E. Holden in 2005 and G. C. L. Perez and colleagues in 2013; recent mtDNA and nDNA analyses by C. Montgelard and colleagues in 2003, and Perez and colleagues in 2013 provide strong support for its recognition as a valid species. Montgelard and colleagues in 2003 estimated that E. melanurus and E. quercinus diverged c.7 million years ago during the early Miocene. Distribution and taxonomy of E. melanurus remains unresolved as discussed by Holden in 2005 and Perez and colleagues in 2013. The western African populations have been included in E. quercinus by researchers such as H. Kahmann and G. Thoms in 1981, Niethammer in 1959, and Krystufek and Kraft in 1997, or M. G. Filippucci and colleagues in 1988, Filippucci &amp; T. Kotsakis in 1994, and Filippucci and E. Capanna in 1996 treated them as populations of E. melanurus . Holden in 2005 agreed with Krystufek &amp; Kraft in 1997 that E. melanurus only occurs in eastern North Africa and the Middle East and suggested, as did M. Delibes and colleagues in 1980, that the western North African populations should be recognized as a separate species, E. munbyanus . Results of mtDNA sequence analysis by Perez and colleagues in 2013 provide some support for recognition of two closely related species in North Africa and the Near East, as opposed to E. quercinus, but also raise additional questions regarding geographical limits and biology of these putative species; chromosomal analysis, however, was contradictory. Further integrative studies are required to resolve the distributional limits and evolutionary relationships of this species. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. Disjunct distribution in the E Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Arabian Peninsula, from E Libya (Barqah, Cyrenaica), Egypt, and the Sinai Peninsula, S to SW Saudi Arabia, and E to N Syria and N Iraq; also recorded in S Turkey, but the last published record is more than 50 years old.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 111-144 mm, tail 100-136 mm, ear 26-29 mm, hindfoot 26-27 mm; weight 38-4-63 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Compared with other members of this genus, Black-tailed Garden Dormice have longer ears and tails, longer tooth rows, and average larger in body sizes. Dorsal pelage ranges from medium grayish brown to pale gray or pale yellowish gray. Pelage is soft and long. Ventral pelage appears predominantly white or cream, and dorsal and ventral pelage colors are well delineated. Head color on crown generally matches that of dorsal pelage but becomes conspicuously paler on top of snout. A thick, conspicuous black eye mask extends from above and below ear pinnae, broadly encircles eyes, but does not extend to roots of vibrissae; nose and lips are thinly haired thus appear almost naked and pink. Ears are brown, very long, and ovate; white preand post-auricular patches are present. Hindfeet are sparsely haired, with white fur and moderately long, c¢.21% of head-body length. Tail is long, ¢.95% of head-body length. Dorsaltail color is black, or black with faint white tip, except color of base of tail is similar to dorsal pelage; ventral tail coloration similar to dorsal surface. Greatest length of skull is 34.2-37 mm, zygomatic breadth is 19-8-22 mm, and upper tooth row length 5-3 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are of eastern Libya specimens. Chromosome numberis 2n = 48. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Rocky areas in coastal dunes and adjacent inland plateaus, Mediterranean scrubland, escarpments, steppe-deserts, rocky areas, sandstone outcrops, alpine, and gardens and human dwellings from sea level to elevations of 2850 m. In northern Africa and the Sinai Peninsula, Black-tailed Garden Dormice were recorded from upper slopes of a large wadi (river bed that are dry for most of the year) near edge of the coastal escarpment, at the base of a large evergreen bush. Individuals have also been captured in limestone cliffs in coastal desert. Black-tailed Garden Dormice have been found in and around human dwellings, in gardens, beside a small mountainside garden at 1700 m, and in Bedouin tents and huts. In 2014, A. N. Alagaili and colleagues captured individuals in the Raidah Protected Area, adjacent to Asir Mountains National Park, Saudi Arabia, where juniper forests cover rocky upper slopes at 2500-3000 m, and deciduous trees and shrubs grow at lower elevations in the wadis; at anothersite in the Asir range, Nader and colleagues in 1983 also collected them among large boulders in sparse Acacia (Fabaceae) scrub forest at 2000 m. In the Middle East, they dwell in rocky terrain, usually in scrub, dense bushes, and forested habitats in wadis, along river banks, in cliffs and limestone hills, on slopes of the Anti-LLebanon Mountains, and on the margin of the lava desert in Jordan; individuals have also been captured in gardens and along stone walls in oases. In 2010, G. Shenbrot and colleagues only collected individuals in deep valleys filled by loess with densely vegetated wadi among rocky hills in the Negev Desert. In Iraq,it is restricted to rocky steppe in the northern part of the country.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The Black-tailed Garden Dormouse is omnivorous, predominantly insectivorous and carnivorous. Stomach contents have included insects and other invertebrates such as snails and centipedes; small vertebrates such as small mammals and a fan-fingered gecko (Ptyodactylus) have also been recorded. Two individuals caged together entered torpor or “partial hibernation,” during which time one of the individuals preyed on the other and consumed the entire animal exceptfor tail, hindfeet, and cranium; brain was also consumed.</p><p>Breeding. In captivity, mean litter size of the Black-tailed Garden Dormouse was 2-8 young, and gestation lasted c.22 days. Reproductively active females were collected in January and April-May, and males with enlarged testes were captured in January and at the end of April; immature individuals were recorded in May-July. Juveniles raised in captivity had an average body mass of 15 g at 30 days, reached 42 g at 90 days, and stabilized at 65 g by 200 days. Adult dentition was fully erupted by 80 days. It was also observed that young could move with a lateral walking gait by the end of the third post-natal week.</p><p>Activity patterns. The Black-tailed Garden Dormouse is nocturnal. Individuals from Saudi Arabia studied under different lighting conditionsin the laboratory at 25°C were active almost exclusively during the night, with an activity peak c.2 hours after onset of darkness. They also showed daily cycles of oxygen consumption and body temperature consistent with that for a nocturnal species, with both measures increasing during the dark period. Following a decrease of 10°C in ambient temperature, they became inactive and were either in daily torpor or hibernation. In the Negev Highlands, individuals are most active in early March to early June, because much fewer individuals are trapped during other months of the year. Individuals captured in the Negev Highlands were found to have a relatively low resting metabolic rate of 0-49 ml O,/g/h, and also entered daily torpor at ambient temperatures of 25°C; It has been hypothesized that low resting metabolic rate and ability to enter facultative daily torpor at comparatively high temperatures might not be characteristic of all populations, but adaptive for coping with less food availability, cooler temperatures, and aridity of the Negev Highlands compared with conditions in other parts ofits distribution. Ambient temperatures in this area ranges from above 30°C to below 0°C during winter; Black-tailed Garden Dormice captured in winter at ambient temperatures close to 0°C were found in traps in torpor with a body temperature of 12°C; torpor bouts can last up to several days.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Black-tailed Garden Dormouse is arboreal, terrestrial, and apparently solitary. It is probably uncommon in parts ofits distribution, especially in North Africa, based on low numbers of specimens obtained. In Israel, trap success during one night in spring was 117%. Densities of 0-14 ind/ha have been reported in the Negev Desert.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Blacktailed Garden Dormouse has a broad distribution and does not face any major identified threats. It tolerates a wide variety of habitats including those close to anthropogenic activity. They occur in several national parks and protected areas. Populations appear to be isolated, although sampling is difficult in many areas due to restricted access and civil and military conflicts.</p><p>Bibliography. Al-Sheikhly et al. (2015), Alagaili et al. (2014), Amori, Aulagnier et al. (2008a), Atallah (1978), Corbet (1978), Delibes et al. (1980), Eilam (1997), Filippucci &amp; Capanna (1996), Filippucci &amp; Kotsakis (1994), Filippucci, Catzeflis &amp; Capanna (1990), Filippucci, Rodino et al. (1988), Filippucci, Simson et al. (1988), Flower (1932), Haim &amp; Rubal (1994), Harrison &amp; Bates (1991), Hartert (1923), Holden (2005, 2013), Kahmann (1981, 1987), Kahmann &amp; Thoms (1981), Kraft &amp; Krystufek (2009), Krystufek &amp; Kraft (1997), Krystufek &amp; Vohralik (2005), Montgelard et al. (2003), Nadachowski et al. (1978), Nader et al. (1983), Niethammer (1959, 1987), Obuch (2001), Osborn &amp; Helmy (1980), Perez et al. (2013), Qumsiyeh (1996), Ranck (1968), Sannier et al. (2011), Setzer (1957), Shehab et al. (2009), Shenbrot et al. (2010), Wagner (1839), Wassif &amp; Hoogstraal (1953), Zima et al. (1994).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD2DD14C96DF38AFB15F86A	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFD3DD1BC9C0F86DFDCFFA3A.text	9B215C43FFD3DD1BC9C0F86DFDCFFA3A.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Eliomys quercinus (Linnaeus 1766)	<div><p>28.</p><p>European Garden Dormouse</p><p>Eliomys quercinus</p><p>French: Lérot d'Europe / German: Gartenschlafer / Spanish: Liron careto europeo</p><p>Other common names: Garden Dormouse</p><p>Taxonomy. Mus quercinus Linnaeus, 1766,</p><p>Germany.</p><p>This species historically had a more continuous distribution from Portugal to the Urals in the Russian Federation, but it is presently mostly confined to Western Europe, with eastern populations having become increasingly scattered and fragmented as described by S. Bertolino and colleagues in 2008, M. E. Holden in 2005, and M. G. Filippucci in 1999. Its distribution also encompasses many Mediterranean islands, including Krk, Bra¢, Hvar, Kor¢ula, S¢edro, and Lastovo (off the Dalmatian coast); the Balearic Islands of Formentera, Mallorca, and Menorca; Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and Lipari Island. Prehistoric remains, as reported by C. Barbera and M. G. Cimmino in 1990, documented its prior occurrence on Capri Island. As summarized by G. C. L. Perez and colleagues in 2013 and P. Bover and J. A. Alcover in 2008, occurrence of this species on Sardinia and some of the Balearic Islands was actively or passively facilitated by humans. Remains of E. quercinus found in England are likely artifacts from Roman introduction according to D. Yalden in 2010. This species displays a large amount of karyotypic variation across its distribution, and chromosomal number is 2n = 48-54 as summarized by Perez and colleagues in 2013, R. Libois and colleagues in 2012, and E. Gornung and colleagues in 2010. Morphology also varies considerably geographically, as documented by Filippucci in 1999, Filippucci and colleagues in 1988, and B. Krystufek and R. Kraft in 1997. Based on mtDNA analysis, Perez and colleagues in 2013 found that previously described western Palearctic chromosomal races were partially congruent with four primary mtDNA lineages or evolutionarily significant units (ESUs): Iberian, 2n = 48; Italian, 2n = 48 or 50; western European, 2n = 48 or 50; and Alpine, 2n = 52 or 54. Central and eastern European populations have a chromosomal number of 2n = 48. Gene flow persists among chromosomal races; ESUs can be identified by karyotype and mtDNA sequence data but not by morphology and the validity of subspecies names and their geographical limits have yet to be determined. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. S, W &amp; C Europe (Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Is, most of France, including Corsica, S Belgium, extreme S Netherlands, S &amp; C Germany, W Czech Republic, W Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, including Sardinia &amp; Sicily), and fragmented from E Adriatic coast through E Europe (S Poland and N Slovakia, NE Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Belarus) to E Ural Mts (Russia), and N to S Finland.</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head—body 99-120 mm, tail 84-110 mm, ear 20-23-5 mm, hindfoot 25-29 mm; weight 33-65-2 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. All species of Eliomys have bold eye masks, but the European Garden Dormouse is generally smaller in body size, has shorter tail and ears relative to head-body length, and has broader interorbit and less inflated bullae relative to skull length, although size varies considerably geographically. Dorsal pelage color is rufous brown or grayish brown with rufous hue and no conspicuous darkening toward midline. Ventral pelage is uniformly white or cream, and dorsal pelage is clearly delineated from ventral pelage. Head color generally matches that of dorsal pelage but with intensified hue. Thick, conspicuous black eye mask extends from above and below ear pinnae, broadly encircles eyes, but does not extend to roots of vibrissae; nose and lips are thinly haired and thus appear almost naked and pink. Ears are brown, moderately long, and rounded; white preand post-auricular patches are present. Hindfeet are white and long, ¢.24% of head-body length. Tail is moderately long, ¢.88% of head-body length. Dorsal tail color generally matches that of dorsal pelage for the first one-half or two-thirds and then abruptly transitions to black. White hairs are scattered throughout, and tail is conspicuously tipped with a broad tuft of white fur; ventral tail color is conspicuously paler. Greatest length of skull is 28-9-33-6 mm, zygomatic breadth is 14-6-18-8 mm, and upper tooth row length is 4-4-5-2 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are of specimens from Slovakia. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + | abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests and woodland and rocky areas from sea level to elevations of 2300 m in the Alps and Pyrénées. European Garden Dormice also inhabit orchards and gardens and are common in orange groves in eastern Spain. Although most often reported from forest or wooded areas, they are less arboreal than most other dormice and also nest on the ground in rocky areas or karst substrates, scrub vegetation, cracks in stonewalls, and often in houses. In 2007, S. Bertolino and N. Cordero di Montezemolo described the typical Italian Alpine habitat as consisting of abundant rock cover, thick shrub layer, and young understory trees. In 2004, A. Nappi and N. Norante described habitat in the Italian Apennines at 1714-1840 m as being dominated by large cliff-forming rock outcrops and petricolic soils. Habitat selection by European Garden Dormice has mainly been investigated in the Alps. Presence of rocks and stones (useful as refuges from predators and probably for nesting and hibernation), reduced and discontinuous grass cover, and diversified woodylayer positively affect presence and abundance of the European Garden Dormouse in Alpine habitat. They occur in different types of coniferous and mixed forests without availability of rocky cover in the eastern part of their distribution.</p><p>Food and Feeding. The European Garden Dormouse is omnivorous. Diet consist of invertebrates, small vertebrates, fruit, nuts, and seeds. Diet analyses reported that they eat insects such as true bugs (Heteroptera), lepidopteran larvae,flies (Diptera), hymenopterans (parasitic wasps, bees, bumblebees, and ants), and beetles (ground beetles, click beetles, weevils, carrion beetles, coleopteran larvae), grasshoppers, and crickets. Other invertebrates recorded are snails (Gastropoda), millipedes and centipedes (Diplopoda), woodlice (Isopoda), spiders ( Araneae), harvestmen (Opiliones), pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones), and earthworms ( Lumbricidae). Prey also includes lizards ( Lacertidae), the House Mouse ( Mus musculus), the Western Mediterranean Mouse ( Mus spretus), the Long-tailed Field Mouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus), the Greater White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula), and songbirds (eggs, chicks, and adults). Plants consumed include fruit of blackberry ( Rubus ssp., Rosaceae) and elderberry ( Sambucus nigra, Adoxaceae), hazelnuts, acorns, pine and maple seeds, Phoenician juniper ( Juniperus phoenicea, Cupressaceae) cones, fruit pulp and peel from oranges, green plant parts, and flowers. Millipedes have odoriferous glands that secrete chlorine, iodine, benzaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide—a combination that deters most predators—but these and other dormice appear to be resistant to these toxins. There is seasonal variation in the diet.</p><p>Breeding. Litter sizes of 1-10 young have been recorded, but litters of 4-6 young are more common. Generally, one litter per year is produced after emergence from hibernation throughout the northern part of the distribution and in montane habitats; two litters per year have been recorded from southern Europe. In eastern Spain, where the climate is mild and food is continually available, European Garden Dormice have been reported to breed throughout the year. Gestation lasts ¢.25 days.</p><p>Activity patterns. European Garden Dormice are nocturnal and crepuscular. They enter daily opportunistic torpor to cope with adverse environmental conditions or scarcity of food resources, and throughout much of their distribution, individuals enter periods of hibernation. In areas such as the region of St. Petersburg and in the Alps that experience harsh winters, European Garden Dormice remain in hibernation for as long as 7-5 and seven months respectively, and have resulting activity seasons as short as 4-5-5 months. In regions with milder climates and year-round food availability such as eastern Spain, they are active year-round.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. The European Garden Dormouse is terrestrial and arboreal; it is less arboreal than many other species of dormice. In an alluvial forest, individuals moved primarily on trees and spent one-third of their time on the ground. In montane woodland, individuals reportedly nested and moved mainly on the ground; when they did move through trees, they were 2-6 m above the ground. In the western Italian Alps, densities of 0-2-1-7 ind/ha were recorded during pre-reproductive months and 1-9-4-9 ind/ha after juveniles entered the population.</p><p>European Garden Dormice commonly nest in tree cavities and among rocks. They will use bird nests for nesting or food storage; they will either use abandoned nests or consume eggs or nestlings before using an occupied nest; they will also occupy nest boxes. Individuals are thought to use multiple nest sites within a 24hour period. Mean distance traveled between nests was 102 m and did not differ between sexes. The same nest site can be used by 2-3 individuals. Males have larger home ranges than females, and male home ranges overlap with those of females. European Garden Dormice can survive up to five years in captivity but rarely live longer than 2-3 years in the wild.</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Populations of European Garden Dormice have declined significantly in the last 20-30 years; it might have disappeared from as much as 50% ofits former distribution in this timeframe. It might be extirpated in Lithuania and Latvia; it is extremely rare in Estonia, Finland, and neighboring region of St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, because there have been no new records in two or more decades. Populations are likewise declining and in some areas suspected to be extirpated in central and southern Europe. Causes for population decline are not wholly understood. Studies such as that by Perez and colleagues in 2013 that identify evolutionarily significant units are critical for informing conservation measures to preserve genetic diversity and evolutionary potential of the European Garden Dormouse.</p><p>Bibliography. Airapetyants (1983), Airapetyants &amp; Fokin (2002), Amori et al. (2016), Andera (1986, 2011), Arnan et al. (2014), Barbera &amp; Cimmino (1990), Bartmanska et al. (2010), Baudoin (1980), Bertolino (2007), Bertolino &amp; Cordero di Montezemolo (2007), Bertolino &amp; Currado (2001), Bertolino, Amori et al. (2008), Bertolino, Cordero di Montezemolo &amp; Currado (2003), Bertolino, Viano &amp; Currado (2001), Bover &amp; Alcover (2008), Crnobrnja-Isailovic et al. (2015), Filipppucci (1999), Filipppucci &amp; Kotsakis (1994), Filippucci, Civitelli &amp; Capanna (1988), Filippucci, Rodin et al. (1988), Gil-Delgado, Cabaret et al. (2006), Gil-Delgado, Mira et al. (2010), Gil-Delgado, Tamarit et al. (2009), Giroud, Turbill &amp; Ruf (2012), Giroud, Zahn et al. (2014), Gornung et al. (2010), Grulich &amp; Jurik (1994), Holden (2005), Juskaitis (1999, 2003), Kahmann &amp; Tiefenbacher (1970), Krystufek &amp; Kraft (1997), Kuipers et al. (2012), Lang (2011), Libois et al. (2012), Macdonald &amp; Barrett (1993), Meinig &amp; Biichner (2012), Moreno (1988, 2002), Moreno &amp; Rouco (2013), Nappi &amp; Norante (2004), Orlov et al. (2013), Perez et al. (2013), Pilats (1994), Rossolimo et al. (2001), Spitzenberger &amp; Bauer (2001b), Storch (1978), Tamarit et al. (2012), Torre et al. (2010), Vaterlaus-Schlegel (1997), Vinals et al. (2012), Yalden (2010), Zima, Macholan, Andera &amp; Cerveny (1997), Zima, Macholan &amp; Filippucci (1994).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFD3DD1BC9C0F86DFDCFFA3A	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
9B215C43FFDCDD1BC970F9D2F7B4F3B1.text	9B215C43FFDCDD1BC970F9D2F7B4F3B1.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Eliomys munbyanus (Pomel 1856)	<div><p>29.</p><p>Maghreb Garden Dormouse</p><p>Eliomys munbyanus</p><p>French: Lérot du Maghreb / German: Maghreb-Gartenschlafer / Spanish: Liron careto del Magreb</p><p>Taxonomy. Myoxus munbyanus Pomel, 1856,</p><p>Region d’Oran (Province of Oran), Algeria.</p><p>This species historically has been considered a synonym of E. quercinus as exemplified by J. Niethammer in 1959, B. Krystufek and R. Kraft in 1997, and S. Moreno in 2002. In 1988, however, M. G. Filippucci and colleagues treated E. munbyanus as a subspecies of E. melanurus . M. E. Holden in 2005 argued that morphometric analyses by KryStufek and Kraft in 1997, considered together with karyological and allozymic analyses by M. Tranier and F. Petter in 1978, M. Delibes and colleagues in 1980, Filippucci and colleagues in 1988, Filippucci and T. Kotsakis in 1994, and Filippucci and E. Capanna in 1996 supported recognition of E. munbyanusas a valid species. Recently, G. C. L. Perez and colleagues in 2013 analyzed chromosomal and mtDNA cytochrome-b sequence data from populations of E. quercinus, E. melanurus, and E. munbyanus; they sampled three E. munbyanus individuals from Morocco and one E. melanurus individual from Israel. Two mitochondrial lineages were identified: one grouped the two Moroccan individuals, and the other surprisingly grouped the Israeli individual with the third Moroccan individual. Their mitochondrial analysis suggested a strong differentiation among North African populations and gave support for recognition of two valid species, although Perez and colleagues cautioned that additional sampling was needed to confirm distinctiveness of the two groups. Results from their chromosomal analysis, however, was contradictory and did not support recognition of two species. Pending further integrative studies that include samples from additional Middle Eastern and North African populations, E. munbyanus is retained here as a valid species. Hypothesized distribution of E. munbyanus as outlined here is concordant with that of other mammalian endemics of the Maghreb as discussed by M. D. Carleton and E. Van der Straeten in 1997. Geographical variation has been documented in certain phenetic traits such as body size,tail color, and degree of inflation of auditory bullae. Monotypic.</p><p>Distribution. Maghreb region of North Africa, from SW Western Sahara, Morocco, N Algeria, and Tunisia to W Libya (as far E as Murqub District, and as far S as Fezzan).</p><p>Descriptive notes. Head-body 100-140 mm, tail 96-118 mm, ear 20-27 mm, hindfoot 22-27 mm; weight 42-62 g. No sexual dimorphism reported. Maghreb Garden Dormice are intermediate in body size within the genus and have longer ears and tail and larger auditory bullae than European Garden Dormice (FE. quercinus); they have shorter ears and tooth rows than the Black-tailed Garden Dormice ( FE. melanurus). Dorsal pelage of the Maghreb Garden Dormouse is reddish or yellowish brown suffused with gray. Pelage is soft, sometimes woolly, and moderately long. Ventral pelage is predominantly white; sides of body and cheeks appear paler. Dorsal pelage is clearly delineated from ventral pelage. Head color generally matches that of dorsal pelage and becomes paler toward muzzle. Thick, conspicuous black eye mask extends from above and below ear pinnae, encircles eyes, and extends just to base of vibrissae; nose and lips are thinly haired and thus appear almost naked and pink. Ears are brown, long, and ovate; white pre-and postauricular patches are present. Hindfeet are white and moderately long, ¢.21% of head— body length. Tail is long, c.92% of head-body length. Dorsaltail color matches that of dorsal pelage for about one-third oftail length and then abruptly transitions to black and culminates in conspicuous white tuft. Ventral tail color is generally paler;tail color and pattern vary geographically. Greatest length of skull is 31-7-35-6 mm, zygomatic breadth is 18:6-20-1 mm, and upper tooth row length is 4-7 mm. External and cranial measurements listed are of specimens from Morocco. Chromosome numberis 2n = 46. Females have four pairs of nipples (I pectoral + 1 abdominal + 2 inguinal = 8).</p><p>Habitat. Varied habitats from sea level in coastal regions to elevations of ¢.3800 m in the Atlas and Djurdjura Mountains. Maghreb Garden Dormice have been collected in rocky areas in thick Mediterranean maquis (scrubland) of heath ( Arbutus, Calluna, and Erica), mock privet ( Phillyrea, Oleaceae), pistachio ( Pistacia, Anacardiaceae), myrtle ( Myrtus, Myrtaceae), and Mediterranean fan palm ( Chamaerops humilis). They also inhabit wooded areas with rocks and boulders providing ground cover in cork oak ( Quercus suber, Fagaceae) woodland, pine ( Pinus halepensis and P. insignis) forests, and mixed oak (Q. canariensis, Q. pyrenaica, and Q. suber) forests. This species seems to tolerate anthropogenic habitat modification because it has been captured in dry, overgrazed habitats with isolated Acacia (Fabaceae), pistachio, and Mediterranean fan palm. Maghreb Garden Dormice also inhabit large oases and adjoining areas in or near date palms ( Phoenix) and tamarisk (7amarix, Tamaricaceae), potato fields, and occasionally prickly pear cactus ( Opuntia, Cactaceae). Other habitats include coastal dunes, montane cedar forests, montane boulder fields, cultivated areas, and treeless, rocky alpine slopes.</p><p>Food and Feeding. Maghreb Garden Dormice are omnivorous. They eat insects,fruits, and eggs; they also likely prey on small vertebrates. In Tunisia, the Maghreb Garden Dormouse is reportedly a pest in fruit plantations, favoring pomegranate, and vegetable gardens of legumes, paprika, and eggplant; chicken eggs are likely consumed. Remains of insects and land snails have also been found near nest entrances in rocky fields and individuals have been observed capturing butterflies by springing into the air with both forelimbs stretched out in front.</p><p>Breeding. Litter-sizes of Maghreb Garden Dormice are estimated to be 4-6 young, although as many as eight embryos have been recorded. Evidence suggests that reproduction begins in March and lasts until November at lower elevations and along the Mediterranean coast. Young remainin the nest for c¢.7 weeks. In northern Morocco, lactating females were captured in November; in Tunisia, pregnant females were recorded in March-April. In Tunisia, sex ratio was male-biased, which might have reflected a sampling artifact due to seasonal differences in activity between sexes.</p><p>Activity patterns. Maghreb Garden Dormice are nocturnal. They enter torpor in response to low ambient temperature. It has been inferred that individuals that inhabit higher elevations hibernate, but at lower elevations they might be active all year—a hypothesis bolstered by capture of two individuals in January near Oran, Algeria. In Libya, G. L.. Ranck in 1968 stated that individuals were infrequently captured in winter when ambient temperatures at night often dropped below —1°C, and suggested that their seemingly low abundance might be explained by inactivity of torpid individuals. In Morocco, one individual was caught during a night when ambient temperature dropped below 0°C according to Moreno and Delibes in 1982.</p><p>Movements, Home range and Social organization. Maghreb Garden Dormice are predominantly arboreal, partly terrestrial, and solitary. They nest in tree cavities, and freestanding nests have been found in several kinds oftrees, including tamarisk,olive, willow, poplar, and several species of palm. Maghreb Garden Dormice also construct nests in shrubs, small palms, and rarely prickly pear cactus, in rock crevices, caves, at bases of large rocks; nests have also been found in human dwellings in thatched roofs, alcoves, attics, and conduits of huts. Materials used to construct nests include grass, barley stems, palm fiber, goat hair, sheep wool, possibly dromedary wool, and even flower clusters of Acacia .</p><p>Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Maghreb Garden Dormouse has a large distribution and does not face any known major conservation threats. It can be found in several protected areas, including Tubkal National Park in Morocco and Djurdjura National Park in northern Algeria.</p><p>Bibliography. Amori, Aulagnier et al. (2008b), Aulagnier &amp; Thévenot (1986), Carleton &amp; Van der Straeten (1997), Delibes et al. (1980), Filippucci &amp; Capanna (1996), Filippucci &amp; Kotsakis (1994), Filippucci, Civitelli &amp; Capanna (1988), Filippucci, Simson et al. (1988), Holden (1993, 2005, 2013), Kahmann &amp; Thoms (1981), Khidas (1993), Kowalski &amp; Rzebik-Kowalska (1991), Krystufek &amp; Kraft (1997), Moreno (2002, 2007), Moreno &amp; Delibes (1982), Niethammer (1959), Perez et al. (2013), Petter &amp; Saint-Girons (1965), Pomel (1856), Ranck (1968), Sannieretal. (2011), Tranier &amp; Petter (1978), Vesmanis (1980), Zima et al. (1994).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9B215C43FFDCDD1BC970F9D2F7B4F3B1	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Don E. Wilson;Thomas E. Lacher, Jr;Russell A. Mittermeier	Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier (2016): Gliridae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 838-889, ISBN: 978-84-941892-3-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6604339
