Ethiopian amphibious rat

Ethiopian amphibious rat
Temporal range: Recent
↓

Critically endangered, possibly extinct  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Rodentia
Family:Muridae
Genus:Nilopegamys
Osgood, 1928
Species: N. plumbeus
Binomial name
Nilopegamys plumbeus
Osgood, 1928

The Ethiopian amphibious rat or Ethiopian water mouse (Nilopegamys plumbeus) is an insectivorous and semiaquatic species of rodent in the monotypic genus Nilopegamys of the family Muridae. The single known specimen was found along the Lesser Abay River near its source at an altitude of 2600 m in the highlands of northwestern Ethiopia in 1928.[1] N. plumbeus is considered to be the most aquatically adapted African murid; its unusually large brain is thought to be one consequence of this lifestyle.[2]

The species is considered to be critically endangered and possibly extinct, since the local habitat has subsequently been severely damaged by overgrazing.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kerbis Peterhans, J. & Lavrenchenko, L. (2008). "Nilopegamys plumbeus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2008: e.T40766A10363474. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T40766A10363474.en. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Peterhans, J. C. K.; Patterson, B. D. (1995). "The Ethiopian water mouse Nilopegamys Osgood, with comments on semi-aquatic adaptations in African Muridae". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 113 (3): 329–349. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1995.tb00937.x.
  • Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1417. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  • Osgood, W H. 1928. A new genus of aquatic rodents from Abyssinia. Field Museum of Natural History Zoological series. 12(15):185-189. Original description
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