Species
Mus mahomet
Description
Mus mahomet Rhoads, 1896
It is an abundant and widespread species with a distribution range restricted to the Ethiopian Plateau (but see the discussion in Yalden et al. (1976) about the description of M. kerensis from Eritrea, which is probably conspecific with M. mahomet). Bryja et al. (2014) provided the first genetic data of this taxon, confirming its position within the setulosus group as a strongly supported monophyletic lineage. This supports the view of Yalden & Largen (1992), who considered M. mahomet as an Ethiopian endemic, contrary to previous opinions merging it with Kenyan and Ugandan populations, which form a significantly supported sister group to M. mahomet (Bryja et al. 2014). It can be relatively easily recognized, as it has a whitish belly separated from the greyish upperpart by a narrow orange band. It lives in various habitats, but predominantly at the border of forests covered by high undergrowth.
Taxonomy
Mus mahomet is a species. It belogs to the Muridae family.
