Natal multimammate mouse

Natal multimammate mouse
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Mastomys
Species:	M. natalensis
Binomial name
Mastomys natalensis Smith, 1834
Synonyms
Mastomys hildebrandtii (Peters, 1878) Myomys fumatus (Peters, 1878)

The Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is also known as the Natal multimammate rat, the common African rat, or the African soft-furred mouse.^[1] The Natal multimammate rat is the natural host of the Lassa fever virus.

Range

It is found in Africa south of the Sahara. Six different genetic groups can be distinguished in different regions: one in western Africa, one in central Africa, one in southern Africa and three in eastern Africa.^[2]

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, urban areas, irrigated land, and seasonally flooded agricultural land.

These rats associate closely with humans, and are commonly found in and around African villages.

Interactions with humans

The species has been used as a laboratory animal since 1939. It has great value for researchers who focused on stomach cancer and spontaneous tumors. It is also the most important reservoir of Lassa fever virus.^[3]

References

External links

• Granjon, L., Lavrenchenko, L., Corti, M., Coetzee, N. & Rahman, E.A. 2004. Mastomys natalensis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 9 July 2007.
• Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1365. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
• Tofts, Russell. Multimammate Mice. Retrieved July 14, 2009.