Rhabdomys pumilio

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	MURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Rhabdomys pumilio

Species Authority:

(Sparrman, 1784)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Four-striped Grass Mouse, Four-striped Grass Rat

Synonym/s:

Rhabdomys dilectus (de Winton, 1897)

Taxonomic Notes:

This is a complex of possibly five species. We follow Happold (in press) by including Rhabdomys dilectus within R. pumilio.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Coetzee, N. & van der Straeten, E.

Reviewer/s:

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

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern because, as the species is currently defined it is very widespread and extremely abundant with no major threats. It occurs in many protected areas across its range. The taxonomy needs to be resolved as it is a species complex comprising as many as five species; these will need to be reassessed, as not all may be Least Concern.

History:

2004	–	Least Concern
1996	–	Data Deficient

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species has been recorded in southern and central Angola, Namibia, Botswana, all of South Africa (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West Province and Limpopo Province), eastern Zimbabwe, western central Mozambique, Malawi (Nyika Plateau and Mulanje Massif), northeastern Zambia (Nyika Plateau), and highlands of Tanzania, Kenya, eastern Uganda (Mount Elgon) and southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kasaki, Marungu Mountains). It has been recorded up to 2,300 m asl.
Countries:	Native: Angola (Angola); Botswana; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Kenya; Lesotho; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; South Africa; Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is an extremely abundant species.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species occurs in six biotic zones of southern Africa, but is restricted to disjunct montane savannas throughout its range north of South Africa. This is a commensal species found in agricultural lands and in houses. It is sometimes considered to be a pest species.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It occurs in many protected areas throughout its extensive range.

Conservation Actions:

It occurs in many protected areas throughout its extensive range.

Citation:	Coetzee, N. & van der Straeten, E. 2008. Rhabdomys pumilio. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 May 2013.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided