Arvicanthis niloticus

(É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803)

African Grass Rat

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Euarchontoglires
Order : Rodentia
Suborder : Supramyomorpha
Infraorder : Myomorphi
Superfamily : Muroidea
Family : Muridae
Subfamily : Murinae
Tribe : Arvicanthini
Genus : Arvicanthis

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, É. 1803. Catalogue des Mammifères du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Privately published, Paris, 272 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/details/bsb10482289

Original name as described

Lemmus niloticus

Other common names

African Arvicanthis · Nile Grass Rat · Unstriped Grass Rat

Type locality

Egypt.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Senegal · Gambia · Mauritania · Mali · Burkina Faso · Cote d'Ivoire? · Togo? · Benin? · Ghana? · Niger · Algeria · Nigeria · Chad · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Egypt · Sudan · Eritrea · Ethiopia · South Sudan · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Kenya · Uganda · Rwanda · Burundi · Tanzania · Zambia · Malawi? · Yemen · Saudi Arabia? · Oman?

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1003046

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Known distribution is shown in green and predicted distribution is in yellow. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Arvicanthis luctuosus

Dollman, 1911

Family

Muridae

Root name

luctuosus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1901.8.8.50

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/5c4a248d-ebc8-43db-8b92-5c274f222bb7

Authority page

339

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15617140

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis abyssinicus rubescens

Wroughton, 1909

Family

Muridae

Root name

rubescens

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1902.11.1.16

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

538

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/22097919

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis zaphiri

Dollman, 1911

Family

Muridae

Root name

zaphiri

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1906.11.1.33

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ef7a1df3-1720-42d7-8193-0d1aa0c4e8cf

Authority page

349

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15617150

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis testicularis centralis

Dollman, 1911

Family

Muridae

Root name

centralis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1908.4.2.45

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

338

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15617139

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis abyssinicus tenebrosus

P. S. Kershaw, 1923

Family

Muridae

Root name

tenebrosus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1923.3.4.32

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

595

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34355853

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis testicularis solatus

O. Thomas, 1925

Family

Muridae

Root name

solatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1925.5.12.76

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

194

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis abyssinicus pelliceus

O. Thomas, 1928

Family

Muridae

Root name

pelliceus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1928.1.11.79

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/e1954702-62e0-4573-91dd-75154740858b

Authority page

303

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis abyssinicus rhodesiae

St. Leger, 1932

Family

Muridae

Root name

rhodesiae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1932.6.7.3

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/e29976bd-5c35-4464-b634-e0f6089c21fe

Authority page

85

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis ectos

Bate, 1942

Family

Muridae

Root name

ectos

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:PV:M 15964

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

474

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Arvicanthis abyssinicus raffertyi

C. Frick, 1914

Family

Muridae

Root name

raffertyi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

CM 3461

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

23

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9781473

Authority publication

Annals of Carnegie Museum

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis abyssinicus mearnsi

C. Frick, 1914

Family

Muridae

Root name

mearnsi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

CM 3514

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

22

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9781472

Authority publication

Annals of Carnegie Museum

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

arvicola niloticus

(A. G. Desmarest, 1822)

Family

Muridae

Root name

niloticus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

MNHN 350

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

281

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39521759

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1827:280, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207747) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Arvicanthis niloticus irhoudae

Jaeger, 1975

Family

Muridae

Root name

irhoudae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

Montpellier IDV 8

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

1-121

Authority publication

Université de Montpellier

Arvicanthis abyssinicus rossii

De Beaux, 1925

Family

Muridae

Root name

rossii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MSNM (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

90

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57817420

Authority publication

Atti della Società Italiana di Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale in Milano

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Mus Dembeensis

(Rüppell, 1842)

Family

Muridae

Root name

dembeensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

SMF:MAMM:4322

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

109

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45886772

Authority publication

Museum Senckenbergianum

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis jebelae

E. Heller, 1911

Family

Muridae

Root name

jebelae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:164826

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3b1124f55-111d-4fe5-83cd-006cca424889

Authority page

9

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8813465

Authority publication

Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis abyssinicus centrosus

Hollister, 1916

Family

Muridae

Root name

centrosus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:165167

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3cceb25c6-3f91-497c-9674-b79cbc024a43

Authority page

1

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29837588

Authority publication

Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis abyssinicus muansae

Matschie, 1911

Family

Muridae

Root name

muansae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

ZMB A. 182. 11. 13

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

339

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43646813

Authority publication

Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Hypudaeus niloticus

(H. R. Schinz, 1825)

Family

Muridae

Root name

niloticus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

383

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51523800

Authority publication

Stuttgart

Arvicanthis niloticus

Lesson, 1842

Family

Muridae

Root name

niloticus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

147

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1842:147) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  2. Corbet & Hill (1980:170) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  3. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:509) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  4. Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)
  5. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:302) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  6. Happold (2013:387) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/27625)
  7. Wilson, Mittermeier & Lacher (2017:753) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57900)
  8. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #2147) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  9. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #2147) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  10. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1003046) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  11. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2147/115060432) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Arvicanthis rubescens

Dollman, 1914

Family

Muridae

Root name

rubescens

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

86

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11472366

Authority publication

Revue zoologique africaine

Name usages

Dollman (1914:86, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11472366) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16563)

Arvicanthis testicularis

Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980

Family

Muridae

Root name

testicularis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

170

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Corbet & Hill (1980:170) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)

Lemmus niloticus

(É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803)

Family

Muridae

Root name

niloticus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

186

Authority publication

Paris

Hypudaeus variegatus

(H. Lichtenstein, 1823)

Family

Muridae

Root name

variegatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

2

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28229316

Authority publication

Berlin

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Mus testicularis

(Hedenborg in Anonymous, 1839)

Family

Muridae

Root name

testicularis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_nudum

Authority page

9

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13244037

Authority publication

Isis von Oken

Mus discolor

(J. A. Wagner, 1842)

Family

Muridae

Root name

discolor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

9

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6697224

Authority publication

Archiv für Naturgeschichte

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Isomys variegatus var. major

(Sundevall, 1843)

Family

Muridae

Root name

major

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

220

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47304075

Authority publication

Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Isomys variegatus var. minor

(Sundevall, 1843)

Family

Muridae

Root name

minor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

221

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47304076

Authority publication

Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Isomys testicularis

(Sundevall, 1843)

Family

Muridae

Root name

testicularis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

221

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47304076

Authority publication

Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Mus ochropus

(von Heuglin, 1877)

Family

Muridae

Root name

ochropus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

68

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36876437

Authority publication

Braunschweig

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Pelomys reichardi

(Noack, 1887)

Family

Muridae

Root name

reichardi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

235

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10356275

Authority publication

Zoologische Jahrbücher

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis testicularis kordofanensis

von Wettstein, 1916

Family

Muridae

Root name

kordofanensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

161

Authority publication

Anzeiger der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Arvicanthis niloticus naso

Pocock, 1934

Family

Muridae

Root name

naso

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

636

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

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