Species
Chingawaemys rarus
Description
Chingawaemys rarus Lavrenchenko, Mikula & Bryja, 2021 is currently known only from Chingawa Forest in south-western Ethiopia. The single known specimen was collected at 2,340 m above sea level in moist Afromontane forest, characterized by an abundance of tree ferns (Nicolas et al., 2021).
Very little is known about its ecology. Despite intensive trapping at the type locality, no additional individuals have been recorded, suggesting that C. rarus may be rare or dependent on specific habitat conditions. Its relatively short hindfeet and long tail may indicate some climbing ability, although no clear adaptations to an arboreal lifestyle have been identified. Its diet and reproductive biology remain unknown.
The species was initially mistaken in the field for Stenocephalemys. Genetic and genomic analyses revealed it to be a highly distinct lineage, diverging near the beginning of the Praomyini radiation in the Late Miocene.
Taxonomy
Chingawaemys rarus is a species. It belongs to the Muridae family.
Map
Photos
