38. Buff-bellied Brush-furred Rat Lophuromys luteogaster French: Rat-hérissé a ventre fauve / German: Gelbbauch-Biirstenhaarmaus / Spanish: Rata de pelaje de cepillo de vientre pulido Other common names: Yellow-bellied Brush-furred Rat Taxonomy. Lophuromys luteogaster Hatt, 1934, “Medje, Ituri district, Belgian Congo [= DR Congo].” Lophuromys luteogaster was classified in the woosnami — luteogaster species complex and included in subgenus Kivumys along with L. medicaudus and L. woosnami based on distinct stomach morphology. Tail greater than 85% of head-body length is diagnostic for subgenus Kivumys. Monotypic. Distribution. NE DR Congo; distributional limits unknown. Descriptive notes. Head-body 90-113 mm, tail 90-117 mm, ear 16—19 mm, hindfoot 19-23 mm; weight 28-41 g. Dorsum of the Buff-bellied Brush-furred Ratis brown-olive and unspeckled, and venter is uniform pink-cinnamon to buff. Tailis relatively long, c.100% of head-body length. There are three pairs of mammae. Habitat. [Lowland primary and secondary rainforest with dominant trees of Gilbertiodendron, Julbernardia, and Cynometra (all Fabaceae) at elevations of 700-1100 m. Food and Feeding. The Buff-bellied Brush-furred Rat is insectivorous, and 90-100% of stomach contents had grubs, caterpillars, small snails, beetles, and termites. Breeding. Little is known because of rarity of captures, which have only occurred during dry seasons when some female Buff-bellied Brush-furred Rats were pregnant, each carrying two embryos. Activity patterns. The Buff-bellied Brush-furred Ratis terrestrial and probably nocturnal. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Buffbellied Brush-furred Rat occurs in various habitats of lowland forests. Bibliography. Dieterlen (1975, 1976b, 1987 20139), Geider & Kock (1991), Hatt (1934), Monadjem et al. (2015), Schlitter & Robbins (1977), Verheyen et al. (1996), Verschuren et al. (1983).

Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Muridae, pp. 536-884 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 610, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6887260