Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Cladus: Cynodontia
Cladus: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohors: Eutheria
Infraclassis: Placentalia
Cladus: Boreoeutheria
Superordo: Euarchontoglires
Ordo: Rodentiaa
Subordo: Myomorpha
Superfamilia: Muroidea
Familia: Muridae
Subfamilia: Murinae
Tribus: Murini
Genus: Mus
Subgenus: Mus (Nannomys)
Species: Mus minutoides
Name
Mus minutoides Smith, 1834
Type locality: South Africa, S Western Cape Province, Cape Town
References
S. Afr. Quart. J., ser. 2, 2: 157.
McDonough, M.M. et al. 2013: Mitochondrial DNA and karyotypic data confirm the presence of Mus indutus and Mus minutoides (Mammalia, Rodentia, Muridae, Nannomys) in Botswana. ZooKeys 359: 35–51. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.359.6247 Reference page.
Wilson, D.E. & Reeder, D.M. (eds.) 2005. Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore. 2 volumes. 2142 pp. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. Reference page.
Vernacular names
Deutsch: Afrikanische Zwergmaus
English: Southern African Pygmy Mouse
Nederlands: Afrikaanse dwergmuis
norsk: Afrikansk pygmemus
polski: Mysz pigmejska
svenska: Afrikansk pygmémus
The African pygmy mouse (Mus minutoides) is one of the smallest rodents. It is widespread within sub-Saharan Africa, and is kept as a pet in other parts of the world. Like the common and widely introduced european house mouse, it is a member of the enormous superfamily Muroidea, which includes over 1000 different species. It forms a super- species complex with Mus musculoides.[1]
Grey to brick-red overall, it is pale on the underside and has small but prominent triangular ears. Adults are between 30 and 80 mm (1.2 and 3.1 in) long, with a 15 to 40 mm (0.59 to 1.57 in) tail, and weigh from 2 to 12 g (0.071 to 0.423 oz).
African pygmy mice reach breeding age at about 6 to 8 weeks. Pregnancy lasts for around 20 days and the litter of about three young is born blind and hairless. Their eyes open after 2 weeks, and weaning is complete after 4 weeks. The lifespan is about 2 years, although individual specimens have been reported to live over 4 years in captivity.
The African pygmy mouse has a number of unique traits. It stacks pebbles in front of its burrow. Overnight, the pebbles gather dew and in the morning, the pygmy mouse drinks the dew on the pebbles. After that, it retires to its den. Its method of sex determination has also been found to differ from most mammals[2] in that rearrangements of the X chromosome have led to many XY individuals actually being female.
They live in colonies or in pairs in grass close to water and are excellent climbers.
As pets
Pygmy mice are often kept as pets, but require social interaction, so should always be kept as pairs or small colonies.[3] They have quite simple care needs, and are active during both day and night,[4] but cannot be handled due to the risk of inadvertently causing internal damage due to their small size and tendency to jump when startled. Despite their size, they can jump up to 50 cm (20 in). Domestically, they are often kept in a covered aquarium so that they do not escape.[3]
References
Child, M.F. & Monadjem, A. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Mus minutoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T13970A115117374. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T13970A22405371.en. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
Frederic Veyrunes; Pascale Chevret; et al. (2010). "A novel sex determination system in a close relative of the house mouse". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 277 (1684): 1049–1056. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.1925. PMC 2842770. PMID 20007182.
African Pygmy Mouse. Heritage-pets.tripod.com. Retrieved on 2012-12-28.
African Pygmy Mice Overview – Crittery Exotics. Crittery.co.uk. Retrieved on 2012-12-28.
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