Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Duncan MacFadyen Corrie Shoeman Claire Relton
Contributors: Matthew Child Nico Avenant Margaret Avery Rod Baxter Ara Monadjem Guy Palmer Peter Taylor Beryl Wilson
Reviewers: Duncan MacFadyen Corrie Shoeman Claire Relton

Rationale

This species exists as an isolated subpopulation in Limpopo Province. While it is widespread throughout the rest of its range and commonly collected in Zimbabwe, surveys have not revealed any further new specimens within the assessment region. It is possible that the few records have been misidentified with other Dendromus species. Further molecular work is required to confirm the taxonomic status of the species within the assessment region. For this reason, we list this species as Data Deficient until new evidence is available for reassessment.

Regional population effects: No dispersal is suspected, thus this is suspected to be an isolated population (Skinner & Chimimba 2005).

Distribution

 This species occurs widely but patchily throughout southern Africa, extending into the Eastern Arc mountains of Tanzania in the north (Monadjem et al. 2015). It is found only in natural moist savannah habitat. Although widespread throughout Zimbabwe, within the assessment region it has only been collected from the Tzaneen district of Limpopo (Rautenbach 1982). While recent specimens from Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal were provisionally assigned to D. nyikae (Rautenbach et al. 2014), subsequent genetic analyses revealed the specimens to be D. melanotis sensu lato (Solano et al. 2014). It has not been recorded in Mozambique (Monadjem et al. 2015).

Population trend

Trend

It is generally uncommon but can be locally abundant (Happold 2013). It is a common species in Zimbabwe, but has not been recently recorded within the assessment region. The presence and taxonomic status of this species in South Africa needs further investigation.

Threats

It is unknown whether this species faces any threats within the assessment region. It would be expected that disturbances through forestry and agriculture would impact suitable habitat in this localized area in the Limpopo Province. Overgrazing and incorrect fire regimes that reduce vegetation cover may lead to habitat degradation. More research is needed to quantify the potential threats facing this species.

Uses and trade

There is no known subsistence or commercial use of this species.

Conservation

Within the assessment area, it is uncertain whether the species occurs in any protected areas. No protected area expansion is possible without further molecular and survey work to clarify its taxonomic status and distribution. Once revised, a reassessment will be needed.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners: It is important to first understand the status, distribution and habitat requirements within the assessment area prior to the provision of particular management recommendations.

Research priorities:
  • This species is in urgent need of taxonomic resolution, specifically with historical and new genetic material from South African, Zimbabwean and Malawian populations.
  • Determination of population size and trends.
  • Understanding local movements and dispersal mechanisms.
  • Habitat modelling must be used to determine habitat requirement of this species.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Deposit any ad hoc specimens recorded from previously known localities to a natural history museum (for example, Ditsong Museum of Natural History).

References 

[@book{275,
 address = {Cambridge},
 author = {Skinner, J.D. and Chimimba, C.T.},
 publisher = {Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom},
 title = {The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion},
 year = {2005}
}
,@inbook{13974,
 address = {Baltimore, USA},
 author = {},
 booktitle = {Superfamily Muroidea},
 editor = {Musser, G.G. and Carleton, M.D.},
 pages = {894--1531},
 publisher = {The John Hopkins University Press},
 title = {Mammal Species of the World: a geographic and taxonomic reference},
 year = {2005}
}
,@book{14262,
 address = {Berlin, Germany},
 author = {Monadjem, A., Taylor, P.J., Denys, C. and Cotterill, F.P.D.},
 publisher = {De Gruyter},
 title = {Rodents of Sub-Saharan Africa: A Biogeographic and Taxonomic Synthesis. },
 year = {2015}
}
,@article{111935780,
 author = {Rautenbach, I. L.},
 journal = {Ecoplan monograph, N.S. Supplemento},
 pages = {111--211},
 title = {Mammals of the Transvaal},
 volume = {1},
 year = {1982}
}
,@article{5576,
 author = {Rautenbach A, Dickerson T, Schoeman MC.},
 journal = {African Journal of Ecology},
 pages = {30--40},
 title = {Diversity of rodent and shrew assemblages in different vegetation types of the savannah biome in South Africa: no evidence for nested subsets or competition},
 volume = {52},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{6443,
 author = {Solano E, Taylor PJ, Rautenbach A, Ropiquet A, Castiglia R},
 journal = {PloS one },
 pages = {e88799},
 title = {Cryptic speciation and chromosomal repatterning in the South African climbing mice <i>Dendromus</i> (Rodentia, Nesomyidae)},
 volume = {9},
 year = {2014}
}
,@book{6447,
 address = {London, UK},
 author = {Happold DCD},
 publisher = {Bloomsbury Publishing},
 title = {<i>Dendromus nyikae</i> Nyika African Climbing Mouse. Pages 181–182 in Happold DCD, editor. Mammals of Africa. Volume III: Rodents, Hares and Rabbits},
 year = {2013}
}
,]
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