Pheromones are important tools of communication for these rodents, allowing them to recognize the age and sex of conspecifics (Porter and Doane 1979, Janus and Holman 1989). They perceive the world using visual, tactile, auditory, and chemical cues.
Communication Channels: chemical
Other Communication Modes: pheromones
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
There are 11 deomyine species on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. One of these species is critically endangered (Asia Minor spiny mice, Acomys cilicicus), four Lophuromys species are near-threatened, three are vulnerable (black-clawed brush-furred rats, Lophuromys melanonyx, Dieterlen's brush-furred mice, Lophuromys dieterleni, and Crete spiny mice, Acomys minous), and three are not known well enough to make an assessment. These rodents, like many others, are threatened by human-induced habitat loss and degradation. A few protected areas have been established that may help preserve some of these species, but research and comprehensive management plans are still needed to prevent further declines.
Deomyinae is a relatively large subfamily of rodents in the family Muridae. There are 42 species in 4 genera in this subfamily, Acomys (spiny mice), Lophuromys (brush-furred rats), Uranomys (Rudd's mice), and Deomys (Congo forest mice).
Deomyines may be resevoirs for plague and typhus in some areas.
Negative Impacts: injures humans (carries human disease)
Deomyines are easy to keep in captivity, and therefore they are used as laboratory animals and have become popular pets in some countries.
Positive Impacts: pet trade ; research and education
Deomyines are primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers in their ecosystem. Some deomyine species are important pollinators (Fleming and Nicolson 2002). One species, Acomys cahirinus has become commensal with humans, populating urban areas. Deomyines are parasitized by several flea species, including Parapulex chephrenis, P. echinatus, Xenopsylla brasiliensis, Nosopsyllus incisus, Ctenopthalmus calceatus, C. evidens, C. grzimeki, C. verutus, C. eximius, Dinopsyllus lypusus, and D. longifrons.
Ecosystem Impact: pollinates
Mutualist Species:
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
Deomyines primarily eat insects, especially ants. They also eat small vertebrates such as frogs, and vegetable matter such as grains and grasses. There are reports of deomyines cannibalizing conspecifics.
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats terrestrial vertebrates, Insectivore ); herbivore (Folivore , Granivore ); omnivore
Deomyines are found throughout Africa and in the Middle East from Pakistan to Crete, where the species Acomys minous is endemic, and Cyprus, where the species Acomys nesiotes is endemic.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native ); ethiopian (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: island endemic
Deomyines inhabit grasslands, savannahs, tropical and montane forests, semideserts, and swamps. They live at elevations from sea level to over 4,000 meters.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; chaparral ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains
Wetlands: swamp
Deomyines live as long as five years in captivity; lifespan in the wild is probably somewhat shorter.
These mouselike rodents measure 70 to 175 mm in head and body length, and their tails measure 42 to 215 mm. They weigh 11 to 111 grams. They have large, prominent ears and most have long, thick fur. The fur of some species takes the form of stiff spines that cover the dorsal surface. Deomyines are reddish, pale yellow, dark brown, buff, or gray in color, sometimes with fine speckles or streaks, and their underparts are brown, white, cinnamon, cream, or dark orange. Some deomyine species are polymorphic, with melanistic black individuals appearing in the population.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry ; polymorphic
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
Deomyines are preyed upon by small mammalian carnivores, snakes, and owls. These rodents have some unique anti-predator adaptations. Some are covered with stiff spiny hairs, and others can leap 50 cm into the air when threatened. Some, such as common spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus), have evolved tails that break off easily when grabbed, temporarily distracting predators and giving them time to escape predation (Shargal et al. 1999).
Known Predators:
Some deomyines live in monogamous pairs, and males and females cooperate to raise their offspring (Menge and Alberts 2002). Others are solitary and promiscuous.
Mating System: monogamous ; polygynandrous (promiscuous)
Some deomyines concentrate their reproduction during the rainy seasons, when food is plentiful, and others breed year round. Some females have been known to bear more than 12 litters in a row with no break. This rapid succession of broods is facilitated by a postpartum estrus, which ensures that females become pregnant again immediately after giving birth. Gestation lasts four to six weeks, and litter sizes range from one to six. The young of some species are highly precocial and are born with their eyes open, and others take up to a week to open their eyes. Nursing lasts up to two weeks, and the young are sexually mature at two to three months of age.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); viviparous ; post-partum estrous
Young deomyines ranges from precocial to altricial. Precocial young accompany their mother while she forages, having no nest in which to rest, and eat solid food on their first day. Altricial young clamp onto their mother's nipples and nurse almost continuously for several days. Males of some species participate in raising their offspring. Each male stays near his mate when she is giving birth, and then he joins the female in grooming the youngsters (Menge and Alberts 2002).
Parental Investment: altricial ; precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female)
The subfamily Deomyinae consists of four genera of mouse-like rodents that were placed in the subfamilies Murinae and Dendromurinae until very recently. They are sometimes called the Acomyinae, particularly in references that antedate the discovery that the link rat, Deomys ferugineus, is part of the clade. Deomyinae is the older name and therefore has priority over Acomyinae.
Deomyines share no morphological characteristics that can be used to separate them from other muroids, though subtle aspects of the third upper molar have been suggested. This subfamily is united solely on the basis of shared genetic mutations. These conclusions have demonstrated good statistical support using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, and DNA-DNA hybridization. Actually, all of the species in the subfamily share stiff hairs somewhere on their bodies.
Because of the lack of physical characteristics supporting this group, it is very possible that the subfamily as it is currently recognized is subject to enlargement. Many of the genera currently placed in the Murinae or Dendromurinae have never been included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis. Potential surprises await when they are.
All genera are found in Africa, suggesting the deomyines may have originated there. The spiny mice, Acomys spp., are also found in Asia.
The four genera and 54 species included in the Deomyinae are:
The subfamily Deomyinae consists of four genera of mouse-like rodents that were placed in the subfamilies Murinae and Dendromurinae until very recently. They are sometimes called the Acomyinae, particularly in references that antedate the discovery that the link rat, Deomys ferugineus, is part of the clade. Deomyinae is the older name and therefore has priority over Acomyinae.
Deomyines share no morphological characteristics that can be used to separate them from other muroids, though subtle aspects of the third upper molar have been suggested. This subfamily is united solely on the basis of shared genetic mutations. These conclusions have demonstrated good statistical support using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, and DNA-DNA hybridization. Actually, all of the species in the subfamily share stiff hairs somewhere on their bodies.
Because of the lack of physical characteristics supporting this group, it is very possible that the subfamily as it is currently recognized is subject to enlargement. Many of the genera currently placed in the Murinae or Dendromurinae have never been included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis. Potential surprises await when they are.
All genera are found in Africa, suggesting the deomyines may have originated there. The spiny mice, Acomys spp., are also found in Asia.
The four genera and 54 species included in the Deomyinae are:
Subfamily Deomyinae Genus Acomys - spiny mice Western Saharan spiny mouse, Acomys airensis Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus Chudeau's spiny mouse, Acomys chudeaui Asia Minor spiny mouse, Acomys cilicicus Gray spiny mouse, Acomys cineraceus Eastern spiny mouse, Acomys dimidiatus Fiery spiny mouse, Acomys ignitus Johan's spiny mouse, Acomys johannis Kemp's spiny mouse, Acomys kempi Louise's spiny mouse, Acomys louisae Crete spiny mouse, Acomys minous Mullah spiny mouse, Acomys mullah Cyprus spiny mouse, Acomys nesiotes Percival's spiny mouse, Acomys percivali Golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus Seurat's spiny mouse, Acomys seurati Southern African spiny mouse, Acomys spinosissimus Cape spiny mouse, Acomys subspinosus Wilson's spiny mouse, Acomys wilsoni Genus Deomys Link rat, Deomys ferrugineus Genus Lophuromys - brush-furred mice Subgenus Kivumys Yellow-bellied brush-furred rat, Lophuromys luteogaster Medium-tailed brush-furred rat, Lophuromys medicaudatus Woosnam's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys woosnami Subgenus Lophuromys Angolan brush-furred rat, Lophuromys angolensis Ansorge's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys ansorgei Gray brush-furred rat, Lophuromys aquilus Short-tailed brush-furred rat, Lophuromys brevicaudus Thomas's Ethiopian brush-furred rat, Lophuromys brunneus Mount Chercher brush-furred rat, Lophuromys chercherensis Ethiopian forest brush-furred rat, Lophuromys chrysopus Dieterlen's brush-furred mouse, Lophuromys dieterleni Dudu's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys dudui Eisentraut's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys eisentrauti Yellow-spotted brush-furred rat, Lophuromys flavopunctatus Hutterer's brush-furred mouse, Lophuromys huttereri Kilonzo's brush furred rat, Lophuromys kilonzoi Lophuromys laticeps Lophuromys machangui Makundi's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys makundii Lophuromys margarettae Black-clawed brush-furred rat, Lophuromys melanonyx North Western Rift brush-furred rat, Lophuromys menageshae Fire-bellied brush-furred rat, Lophuromys nudicaudus Sheko Forest brush-furred rat, Lophuromys pseudosikapusi Rahm's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys rahmi Lophuromys rita Mount Cameroon brush-furred rat, Lophuromys roseveari Sabuni's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys sabunii Rusty-bellied brush-furred rat, Lophuromys sikapusi Lophuromys simensis Stanley's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys stanleyi Verhagen's brush-furred mouse, Lophuromys verhageni Zena's brush-furred rat, Lophuromys zena Genus Uranomys Rudd's mouse, Uranomys ruddi
