Systematics and geographic variation of Ethiopian Arvicanthis (Rodentia, Muridae) |
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| Authors: | Afework Bekele E Capanna M Corti L F Marcus and D A Schlitter |
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| Institution: | Biology Department, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;Department of Animal and Human Biology, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Via Borelli 50, Rome 00161, Italy;Queens College of the City University of New York, and American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th, New York, N.Y. 10024, USA;Carnegie Museum N. H., Museum Annex, 5800 Baum Boulevard, Pittsburg, PA 15206, USA |
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| Abstract: | Arvicanthis , the unstriped grass-rat, is a widespread genus occurring in many regions of Africa and is major pest in agricultural farmland. Despite its economic importance for developing countries, the taxonomy of the genus is stillin a chaotic state. We used univariate and multivariate morphometrics to investigate two species, A. abyssinicus and A. dembeensis , occurring in Ethiopia. Results show that these taxa are well separated, this contradicting authors who lump all Arvicanthis as A. niloticus . There is a longitudinal cline in the morphology of A. dembeensis from eastern regions along the Rift Valley. Differences between the species in morphlogy seem to reflect adaptation to different ecological niches at high ( A. abyssinicus ) and low ( A. dembeensis ) altitudes. |
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