Thomas's vlei rat (''Otomys thomasi'') is a species of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

in the family

Muridae The Muridae, or murids, are either the largest or second-largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 870 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. ...

. It is endemic to

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

's high plateau mountains of the Rift Valley.

Taxonomy

Osgood (1910) initially described this species as ''Otomys thomasi''. In 2006, it would be included under ''Otomys orestes'' ( afroalpine vlei rat) by Carleton & Byrne. Taylor et al. (2011) reviewed the genus ''Otomys'' and moved ''Otomys thomasi'' back to species status.

Conservation

It is known from less than 10 locations in Kenya and isn't recorded in protected areas, hence the assessment of the species as " Vulnerable" by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

References

Mammals described in 1910 Mammals of Kenya Taxa named by Wilfred Hudson Osgood {{Muridae-stub