Lemniscomys barbarus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	MURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lemniscomys barbarus

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1766)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Barbary Lemniscomys, Barbary Striped Grass Mouse

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

van der Straeten, E.

Reviewer/s:

Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Temple, H. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
An endemic species in the Mediterranean. In some years it is very common, but in other years densities are very low. It is an attractive rodent that is kept by some people as a pet, but although some animals are collected from the wild and exported for the pet market, it is also very easy to breed in captivity so this trade is not considered a serious threat to the species. Currently it is Least Concern.

History:

2004	–	Least Concern
2002	–	Least Concern
1996	–	Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This is a Mediterranean endemic species. It is mostly confined to a narrow coastal strip in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, northwest and north of the Atlas Mountains (Carleton and Van der Straeten, 1997). There are also two records from the base of the Atlas Mountains. It occurs from sea level to the Plateau Central, at least up to 1,000 m (R. Hutterer pers. comm. 2007).
Countries:	Native: Algeria; Morocco; Tunisia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	In some years the species is very common, but in other years densities are very low.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It occurs in Mediterranean scrubland and woodland (Carleton and Van der Straeten 1997), and is also found in arable lands. The species has been recorded from rocky outcrops in vegetated coastal dunes, juniper scrub, argon sage grassland and argon savanna. It is also found in agricultural areas and in open forest. The species is active during the day and is therefore rarely found in owl pellets.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species. It is an attractive rodent that is kept by some people as a pet, but although some animals are collected from the wild and exported for the pet market, it is also very easy to breed in captivity so this trade is not considered a serious threat to the species.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species. It is an attractive rodent that is kept by some people as a pet, but although some animals are collected from the wild and exported for the pet market, it is also very easy to breed in captivity so this trade is not considered a serious threat to the species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It may occur in some very small protected areas, but this would need to be confirmed.

Conservation Actions:

It may occur in some very small protected areas, but this would need to be confirmed.

Citation:	van der Straeten, E. 2008. Lemniscomys barbarus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2012.
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