African vlei rats (''Otomys''), also known as groove-toothed rats, live in many areas of
sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...
. Most species live in
marshland
In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in general ...
s,
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...
s, and similar habitats
[ and feed on the vegetation of such areas, occasionally supplementing it with roots and seeds. The name "]vlei
A vlei (; ) is a shallow minor lake, mostly of a seasonal or intermittent lake, intermittent nature. It even might refer to seasonal ponds or marshy patches where frogs and similar marsh dwellers breed. Commonly, vleis vary in their extent, or e ...
" refers to the South African term for intermittent, seasonal, or perennial bodies of standing water.
''Otomys'' are compact rodents with a tendency to shorter faces and legs than other types of rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...
s. The tails also are shorter than most Muridae, typically between one third and two thirds of the body length.[The Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals, Jonathan Kingdon (2004) Russel Friedman Books ] but generally they have the brown-to-grey agouti coats typical of mice and other small wild rodents. Species living in warm or temperate regions tend to have unusually large ears for murids (e.g. ''Otomys irroratus''), whereas some of the alpine species, such as '' Otomys sloggetti'' have markedly smaller ears. (However, the latter species may no longer belong in the genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
''Otomys''.)
Depending on the species adult ''Otomys'' have a body length between 12 and 22 cm (5–9 inches) and weigh 90 to 260 grams (3–9 oz).
Species
Genus ''Otomys''Angolan vlei rat
The Angolan vlei rat (''Otomys anchietae'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found only in Angola.
Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland.
It ...
, ''Otomys anchietae''
*Angoni vlei rat
The Angoni vlei rat (''Otomys angoniensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Its natural habitats are moist savanna, temper ...
, ''Otomys angoniensis''
* Barbour's vlei rat, ''Otomys barbouri''
*Burton's vlei rat
Burton's vlei rat (''Otomys burtoni'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found only in Cameroon.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, and swam ...
, ''Otomys burtoni''
*Cheesman's vlei rat
The Cheesman's vlei rat (''Otomys cheesmani'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is considered endemic to northwestern Ethiopia.
Conservation
It is possibly extinct and only known from two localities in Ethiopia, hence the asse ...
, ''Otomys cheesmani''Ruwenzori vlei rat
The Ruwenzori vlei rat (''Otomys dartmouthi'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found only in Uganda.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is do ...
, ''Otomys dartmouthi''
*Dent's vlei rat
Dent's vlei rat (''Otomys denti'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests ...
, ''Otomys denti''
* Dollman's vlei rat, ''Otomys dollmani''
*Charada vlei rat
Charada vlei rat (''Otomys fortior'') is a species of rodent in the family of Muridae. It is endemic to southwestern Ethiopia.
Taxonomy
Thomas (1906) initially described this species under the name ''Otomys typus fortior''. It was then elevate ...
, ''Otomys fortior''Mount Elgon vlei rat
The Mount Elgon vlei rat (''Otomys jacksoni'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano on the border between west-central Kenya and south-eastern Uganda. As of 2021, it is considered near th ...
, ''Otomys jacksoni''
*Tanzanian vlei rat
The Tanzanian vlei rat (''Otomys lacustris'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps.
It is threatened by habit ...
, ''Otomys lacustris''
*Laminate vlei rat
The laminate vlei rat (''Otomys laminatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found only in South Africa.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamp
A swamp is a forested wetland.Kedd ...
, ''Otomys laminatus''
*Large vlei rat
The large vlei rat (''Otomys maximus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, and Zambia.
Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical seasonal ...
, ''Otomys maximus''
*Western vlei rat
The western vlei rat (''Otomys occidentalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in Cameroon and Nigeria.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps.
It is threatened by habitat los ...
, ''Otomys occidentalis''
*Afroalpine vlei rat
The afroalpine vlei rat (''Otomys orestes'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in the high moorlands of Kenya.Carleton, M.D, and E.S. Schaefer. 2006. The status of ''Otomys orestes dollmani'' Heller, 1912 (Muridae: Otomyin ...
, ''Otomys orestes''
*Saunder's vlei rat
Saunder's vlei rat (''Otomys saundersiae'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found only in South Africa.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, and subtropical or t ...
, ''Otomys saundersiae''
*Simien vlei rat
The Simien vlei rat (''Otomys simiensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in northern Ethiopia.
Conservation
The species is known from less than 10 locations in Ethiopia. However, it is thought to occur in a protect ...
, ''Otomys simiensis''Thomas's vlei rat
Thomas's vlei rat (''Otomys thomasi'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is endemic to Kenya's high plateau mountains of the Rift Valley.
Taxonomy
Osgood (1910) initially described this species as ''Otomys thomasi''. In 2006, it ...
, ''Otomys thomasi''Tropical vlei rat
The tropical vlei rat (''Otomys tropicalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasona ...
, ''Otomys tropicalis''
*Ethiopian vlei rat
The Ethiopian vlei rat (''Otomys typus'') is a species of Otomys, vlei rat in the rodent family Muridae.
It is found only in Ethiopia and is considered endemic.
Taxonomy
Heuglin (1877) initially described the species under the name ''Oreomys ...
, ''Otomys typus''
*Uzungwe vlei rat
The Uzungwe vlei rat (''Otomys uzungwensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps.
It is threatened by habi ...
, ''Otomys uzungwensis''
*Yalden's vlei rat
The Yalden's vlei rat (''Otomys yaldeni'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in the Bale Mountains, in southwestern Ethiopia.
Conservation
It is listed as " Vulnerable" by the IUCN
The International Union for Conse ...
, ''Otomys yaldeni''Mount Kilimanjaro vlei rat
Mount Kilimanjaro vlei rat (''Otomys zinki'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in north-eastern Tanzania, on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Taxonomy
Bohmann (1943) initially described this species as ''Otomys typus zinki''. It was ...
, ''Otomys zinki''
References
Rodent genera
Taxa named by Frédéric Cuvier
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