Geographic Range
Acacia rats are found in sub-Saharan Africa. They occur widely from the southern-most
portion of Ethiopia, south to the east coast of South Africa. Their range extends
to the west coast of Angola, through Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Habitat
Thallomys paedulcus
lives under the frayed bark of acacia tree trunks and branches, primarily
Acacia xanthophloa
and
Acacia tortilis
. It can sometimes seen near river beds. Its nests, which have been seen as high as
4 m from the ground, become highly visible during winter when foliage decreases. Acacia
thorns provide optimal protection against predators.
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- tropical
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- savanna or grassland
Physical Description
Acacia rats have a white venter and a grey-yellow dorsum. The
fur
is dense and soft and their ears are sparsely covered in hair. They have elongate
hind- and forepaws, which possess long, curved claws. THeir brown tail is used to
distinguish them from
black-tailed tree rats
. In addition, black-tailed tree rats have a more complete eye mask than acacia rats.
Although they were once considered the same species, recent chromosomal evidence suggest
they are distinct species. Acacia rats weigh between 63 and 100 g, with an average
of 68 g. Weight can vary substantially in females, with weight increasing during lactation.
Body length ranges from 12 to 16.3 cm, and the tail is often greater than or equal
to the body, ranging from 13 to 21 cm. Sexual dimorphism has not been reported for
this species.
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- homoiothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes alike
Reproduction
There is little information on the mating system of Acacia rats. They give birth during
the summer rainy season, when acacia foliage is present. Similar to many other
murids
, acacia rats are polygynandrous. Males expand their home ranges during breeding season,
presumably in order to increase the likelihood of finding potential mates.
- Mating System
- polygynandrous (promiscuous)
There is little information available regarding the reproductive behavior of acacia
rats, and that which is know was discovered via lab studies. They normally breeds
every 3.5 months during summer (April through July) and litters consists of 2 to 5
pups, which weigh between 2.5 to 2.8 g t birth. Young are weaned 28 and 31 days old
and reach sexual maturity at an average of 107 days. Pups begin walking after 15 days
and incisors appear only after one day. Reproduction in acacia rats is thought to
be similar to that of
black-tailed tree rats
.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- viviparous
There is no information available regarding parental care in wild acacia rats. In
captivity, young attach to the nipple and nurse while the mother moves around the
local environment. Pups stay with their parents until they reach reproductive maturity.
- Parental Investment
- female parental care
-
pre-weaning/fledging
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-independence
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
Lifespan/Longevity
THe average lifespan of wild acacia rats has not been documented. Captive individuals
live for an average of 3 years.
Behavior
Little is known of the general behavior of acacia rats. They are arboreal and nocturnal,
with nightly activities beginning prior to dusk. They construct nests out of leaves,
grass, and small twigs. They burrow along
Acacia
tree root structures and use these burrows in the winter months in the event of brush
fires.
Home Range
Home range size varies in relation to sex. Female home ranges are about 10,000 m^2.
Male home ranges are about 100,000 m^2 and sometimes overlapping into the range of
another male. Males expand their home range during breeding season, likely increasing
their chances of finding potential mates.
Communication and Perception
Little is known about communication and perception of acacia rats. They appear to
be very shy and rarely leave their shelters. They primarily live in conspecific communities
and use scent markings to demarcate territorial boundaries.
- Communication Channels
- chemical
- Other Communication Modes
- scent marks
Food Habits
Acacia rats are primarily granivorous, feeding on the seeds and foliage of
acacia trees
. They have been observed foraging on
Acacia tortilis
and
Acacia erioloba
. The leaves of
shepherd’s trees
and seeds of
buffalo thorn
are also considered an important part of their diet. Other primarily granivorous,
they also consume the berries, grasses, roots, buds, and gum of
acacias
. Food is generally brought back to the nest preior to consumption. Inedible plant
materials are often used in nest making. They may also consume carrion or invertebrates
when available.
- Animal Foods
- carrion
- insects
- terrestrial non-insect arthropods
- Plant Foods
- leaves
- roots and tubers
- wood, bark, or stems
- seeds, grains, and nuts
- sap or other plant fluids
- Foraging Behavior
- stores or caches food
Predation
Acacia rats inhabit the thickest and thorniest parts of
Acacia
trees, which is an extremely effective in predator avoidance. Their sandy pelage
provides great camouflage and likely helps reduce predation risk. It is thought that
owls
are their primary predators, however, arboreal
snakes
(e.g.,
Dendroaspis
spp.) are important predators as well.
- Anti-predator Adaptations
- cryptic
Ecosystem Roles
Thallomys paedulcus
is prey for a number of vertebrate predators including
owls
and a variety of
snakes
. As an arboreal
rodent
, it fills a unique niche that is not exploited by many rodents. Parasites of this
species include the flea species
Xemonpsylla brasiliensis
, a known vector of the plague (
Yersinia pestis
), and
Echidnophaga gallinacea
.
- flea, ( Xemonpsylla brasiliensis )
- sticktight flea, ( Echidnophaga gallinacea )
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Although
Thallomys paedulcus
is not often seen in the pet trade, they are occasionally sought for their attractive
coloring. Compared to other rodents, they breed poorly in captivity, making them unsuitable
for lab use.
- Positive Impacts
- pet trade
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Acacia rats are possible vectors for the plague (
Yersinia pestes
). There are no other known adverse effects of acacia rats on humans.
- Negative Impacts
-
injures humans
- carries human disease
Conservation Status
Acacia rats are classified as a species of least concern on the IUCN's Red List of
Threatened Species List. Although current population trends are unknown, they are
thought to be widespread and locally abundant throughout their geographic range. Currently,
there are no major threats to the long-term persistence of this species.
Additional Links
Contributors
Casey Ford (author), Northern Michigan University, Mary Martin (editor), Northern Michigan University, John Berini (editor), Animal Diversity Web Staff.
- Ethiopian
-
living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- temperate
-
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- tropical
-
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- tropical savanna and grassland
-
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
- savanna
-
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
- temperate grassland
-
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
- endothermic
-
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- polygynandrous
-
the kind of polygamy in which a female pairs with several males, each of which also pairs with several different females.
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- viviparous
-
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
- female parental care
-
parental care is carried out by females
- arboreal
-
Referring to an animal that lives in trees; tree-climbing.
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- social
-
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- scent marks
-
communicates by producing scents from special gland(s) and placing them on a surface whether others can smell or taste them
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- carrion
-
flesh of dead animals.
- stores or caches food
-
places a food item in a special place to be eaten later. Also called "hoarding"
- cryptic
-
having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise detect.
- pet trade
-
the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets.
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- granivore
-
an animal that mainly eats seeds
- omnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals
References
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Eccard, J., J. Meyer, J. Sundell. 2004. Space Use, Circadian Activity Pattern, and Mating System of the Nocturnal Tree Rat Thallomys nigricauda. Journal of Mammalogy , 85/3: 240-245.
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Linzey, A., M. Kesner. 1997. Small mammals of a woodland-savannah ecosystem in Zimbabwe. I. Density and habitat occupancy patterns. Journal of Zoology , 243/1: 137-152.
Meester, J., A. Hallett. 1970.
- Notes on Early Postnatal Development in Certain Southern African Muridae and Cricetidae
Meyer, J., A. Kohnen, R. Brandl. 2010. Genetic differentiation in an arboreal rodent from African savannas. African Journal of Ecology , 41/3: 831-836.
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Skinner, J., C. Chimimba. 2005. The Mammals of South Africa Subregion . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Welton, N. 2004. Rats, Mice, and Relatives III: Old World Rats and Mice (Murinae). Pp. 249-262 in Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia , Vol. 16, 2nd Edition. Detroit: Gale Virtual Reference Library. Accessed March 10, 2011 at http://ezpolson.nmu.edu:5749/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_nmichu .
de Graaff, G. 1978. Notes on the Southern African black-tailed tree rat thallomys paedulcus (Sundevall, 1846) and its occurrence in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. Koedoe , 21/1: 181-190.