Southern giant pouched rat
{{Short description|African species of rodent}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Southern giant pouched rat
| image =
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Cricetomys
| species = ansorgei
| authority = Thomas, 1904[http://www.fieldmuseum.org/tanzania/species.asp?ID=458 Mammals of Tanzania] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317223637/http://www.fieldmuseum.org/tanzania/species.asp?ID=458 |date=2009-03-17 }}. Fieldmuseum.org. Retrieved on 2012-12-28.
| synonyms = See text
| range_map = Cricetomys ansorgei range.tif
}}
The southern giant pouched rat (Cricetomys ansorgei) is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is distributed in the savannah of East and Southern Africa.
Synonyms
A large number of synonyms have been noted for this species. They include:
- Cricetomys adventor Thomas and Wroughton, 1907
- Cricetomys cosensi Hinton, 1919
- Cricetomys cunctator Thomas and Wroughton, 1908
- Cricetomys elgonis Thomas, 1910
- Cricetomys enguvi Heller, 1912
- Cricetomys haagneri Roberts, 1926
- Cricetomys kenyensis Osgood, 1910
- Cricetomys luteus Dollman, 1911
- Cricetomys microtis Lönnberg, 1917
- Cricetomys osgoodi Heller, 1912
- Cricetomys raineyi Heller, 1912
- Cricetomys selindensis Roberts, 1946
- Cricetomys vaughanjonesi St. Leger, 1937
- Cricetomys viator Thomas, 1904
Distribution
Description
The southern giant pouched rat is a large rodent, with males larger than females. Adult males typically weigh {{cvt|1.5|to|2.0|kg}}, while females weigh {{cvt|1.2|to|1.6|kg}}. The pouches for which these rats are named consist of oversized cheek-pouches. These oversized cheek pouches are often used to transport large food-finds back to their burrows for storage.{{cite encyclopedia | url= https://www.britannica.com/animal/African-pouched-rat | title =African pouched rat| encyclopedia= Britannica.com | editor= Amy Rodriguez| date= 25 May 2020| accessdate = 22 May 2022}} From their nose to the tip of their tail, these animals are approximately {{cvt|70|to|80|cm}} long. They have dark brown to reddish fur on their backs and a pale belly. The tail is bi-colored, brown with white at the distal third of the tail.
Females have small litters, usually between 1–3 young at a time. Males scent mark using cheek and anogenital rubbing, as well as urine, and appear to preferentially mark unfamiliar locations.{{Cite journal| last1= Freeman|first1=Angela R.|last2= Ophir |first2=Alexander G.|title=Scent-marking behavior of the southern giant pouched rat (Cricetomys ansorgei)| journal=Journal of Mammalogy| volume=99|issue=6|pages=1430–1435|language=en|doi=10.1093/jmammal/gyy137|date=2018-12-05|doi-access=free}}
Taxonomy
An analysis of cranial head measurements, as well as mitochondrial cytochrome b phylogeny shows C. ansorgei to be distinct from other members of the genus Cricetomys.{{Cite journal|last1=Olayemi|first1=Ayodeji|last2=Nicolas|first2=Violaine|last3=Hulsemans|first3=Jan|last4=Missoup|first4=Alain D.|last5=Fichet-Calvet|first5=Elisabeth|last6=Amundala|first6=Drazo|last7=Dudu|first7=Akaibe|last8=Dierckx|first8=Theo|last9=Wendelen|first9=Wim|date=2012-06-26|title=Taxonomy of the African giant pouched rats (Nesomyidae: Cricetomys): molecular and craniometric evidence support an unexpected high species diversity|journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society|language=en|volume=165|issue=3|pages=700–719|doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00823.x|issn=0024-4082|doi-access=free}} C. ansorgei may have a largely-undescribed sister species that resides west of the Congo River. Previously, many animals described as Cricetomys gambianus may have instead been C. ansorgei based on this new characterization.{{Cite journal|last=Poling|first=Alan|date=2016|title=Using pouched rats to help people: Notes from the field.|journal=American Psychologist|language=en|volume=71|issue=8|pages=835–842|doi=10.1037/amp0000046|pmid=27977280|issn=1935-990X}}
Use by humans
The southern African giant pouched rat is used in tuberculosis detection and in locating landmines through initiatives by APOPO.{{Cite journal|date=2017-05-26|title=Tuberculosis detection by pouched rats: Opportunities for reinforcement under low-prevalence conditions|journal=Behavioural Processes|volume=155|pages=2–7|doi=10.1016/j.beproc.2017.05.015|pmid=28554740|issn=0376-6357|last1=Edwards|first1=Timothy L.|last2=Ellis|first2=Haylee|last3=Watkins|first3=Erin E.|last4=Mulder|first4=Christiaan|last5=Mgode|first5=Georgies|last6=Cox|first6=Christophe|last7=Poling|first7=Alan|s2cid=205981149}} It is also popular as bushmeat.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}
References
{{Reflist|refs=
}}
Further reading
- Kingdon, J. 1984. East African mammals: An atlas of evolution in Africa. (Hares and Rodents). University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2B:550–554.
- Kingdon, J. 1997. The Kingdon field guide to African mammals, AP Natural World Academic Press, Harcourt Brace & Company, San Diego, p. 199-200.
- Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. Sixth ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2:1344–1346, 1495–1496.
- Swynnerton, G. H., and R. W. Hayman. 1951. A checklist of the land mammals of the Tanganyika Territory and the Zanzibar Protectorate. Journal of the East African Natural History Society, 20(6):274–392.
{{Nesomyidae nav}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1764421}}
Category:Mammals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Category:Mammals described in 1904
Category:Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas
{{muroid-stub}}