About Graphiurus murinus (Desmarest, 1822)
Common and Scientific Name
Graphiurus murinus (Desmarest, 1822), commonly called the woodland dormouse, is a small rodent species. It has soft, silky fur, large eyes, whitish cheeks, and rounded brown ears.
Upper Body Coloration
Its upper body ranges in color from golden to greyish-brown, sometimes with a coppery or reddish tint; some individuals also have a darker streak running along the spine. Its underparts are pale grey, with a wash of white or cream.
Foot and Tail Features
The hind feet are usually white with a dark streak. Its bushy tail is around 85% as long as the combined head and body length, and matches the color of the dorsal fur.
Geographical Range
This species is native to Africa, and has been recorded in Burundi, Ethiopia, Chad, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
General Habitat Types
It occupies a wide range of habitats, including woodland, grassland, savannah, and rocky areas. In some localities, it occurs in woodland where Combretum plants are the dominant species.
Modified Habitat Use
It can also be found in degraded and secondary habitats, and sometimes enters human buildings. It is primarily a forest species, and occurs at altitudes between approximately 1,000 and 4,000 m (3,300 and 13,100 ft).
Locomotion and Climbing Behavior
Like other members of its dormouse family, Graphiurus murinus is mostly arboreal, but acts as a rock-climbing rodent in some locations.
Diet Composition
It is omnivorous, and its diet includes insects, other small invertebrates, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds, and fruit.
Nesting Sites and Structure
It builds nests, most commonly in tree crevices or tree holes; other recorded nest sites include abandoned swallow nests, human habitations, among mosses and other epiphytes, and the center of bushes, where the globular nest structure has a side entrance.
Torpor Behavior
When temperature and food conditions are appropriate, this dormouse can enter a state of torpor.
