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Publications

OF

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL

HISTORY

ZOOLOGICAL SERIES

Volume X

Chicago, U. S. A.
igog - 1923

FURTHER NEW MAMMALS FROM BRITISH

EAST AFRICA.

BY WILFRED H. OSGOOD.

Continued study of the Field Museum's collection of African
mammals, especially of the difificult Crocidurae, has resulted in the
conclusion that eleven further new species and subspecies should
be added to the rapidly growing list of the Mammalia of British East
Africa. With one exception, these have been compared with speci-
mens of allied forms in the British Natural History Museum. Types
and important specimens have been consulted also in the Academy
of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and the United States National
Museum at Washington. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the cour-
tesies of the officials of these institutions.

Qraphiurus parvus dollmani subsp. nov.

Type from Lukenya Mountain (Ulu Kenya Hills), British East
Africa. No. 16722 Field Museum of Natural History. Adult female.
Collected December 22, 1905, by E. Heller.

Characters. Similar to Graphiurus parvus in color but slightly
larger in size and markedly different in cranial characters; skull
larger throughout; braincase much deeper and decidedly elevated
above the plane of the rostrum; molariform teeth broader. Upper-
parts pale wood brown to Isabella color, the hairs deep plumbeous
basally, then narrowly buffy broccoli brown, then tipped with darker
brown; sides similar to back, but inclining to cinnamon and then
nearly pinkish or ochraceous buff along a narrow line between the
color of the upperparts and the underparts; top of head like back,
becoming slightly paler on the nose; a well-defined blackish area
from the base of whiskers to and around eye; a slight buffiness just
below the black bordering the lower anterior half of the eye; posterior
cheeks below and in front of ear buffy; anterior cheeks below eye
white, the uppermost hairs white to their bases, separated from those
of the chin by hairs narrowly grayish basally ; underparts creamy white,
the hairs of the chin and anterior throat entirely white, those of the
remaining underparts with broad slaty bases ; pectoral region frequently
stained with reddish brown; inner side of front legs and axillae buffy;

15

i6 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X.

feet white, tarsal joint dusky; tail brownish drab above, slightly paler
below and finely vermiculated with whitish, certain white-tipped
hairs of the under side sometimes showing from above as a narrow
whitish border.

Measurements. Type: Total length i6o; head and body 83;
tail vertebrae 77; hind foot (c. u., dry) 15.8; ear 14. Skull of type:
Greatest length 25; basilar length 18.3; zygomatic breadth 13.6;
interorbital constriction 3.9; nasals 8.9; postpalatal length 10.5;
diastema 5 ; depth from top of braincase to lower surface of audital
bulla 10; length of upper toothrow 2.9.

Remarks. Comparison of the above-described form with the type
of parvus reveals considerable difference in cranial characters but
such color differences as are observable seem due to the fact that the
type of parvus was preserved originally in alcohol.

The new form is named for Mr. Guy Dollman, of the British
Museum, who has lately devoted considerable time to a study of the
genus Graphiurus.

Thamnomys oblitus sp. nov.

Type from Voi, British East Africa. No 17123 Field Museum of
Natural History. Adult female. Collected April 14, 1906, by E.
Heller.

Characters. Allied to Thamnomys macmillani but tail decidedly
longer and color somewhat deeper; skull slightly smaller. General
coloration much as in T. s. polionops, but slightly paler with the rump
more decidedly contrasted with the back, shoulders, and head.
Anterior upperparts from crown to middle of back clay color slightly
tinged with olivaceous; posterior back and rump bright ochraceous
scarcely modified by scattered dusky-tipped hairs; forehead, nose,
and sides of face olivaceous gray; underparts white distincth^ tinged
with strawcolor except on chin and sides of throat, all the hairs
with white bases ; feet pale buff, at least medially.

Measurements. Type: Total length 286; head and body no
tail vertebrae 176; hind foot (c. u., dry) 22; ear 16. Skull of type
Greatest length 27.1; basilar length 20.5; zygomatic breadth 12.5
interorbital constriction 4.4; nasals 9.4; interparietal 8.7 x 4.8
postpalatal length 9.3; diastema 6.5; palatine sHts 5.7; length upper
toothrow 3.8.

Remarks. The single specimen representing this species was by
chance not included with the others recently taken to the British
Museum for study. Therefore, no actual comparison with T. mac-
millani has been made, but the type of that species was carefully
examined and is still fresh in mind.

April, 1910. New East African Mammals — Osgood. 17

Arvicanthis dorsalis maculosus subsp. nov.

Type from Voi, British East Africa. No. 17265 Field Museum of
Natural History. . Adult male. Collected April 22, 1906, by E.
Heller.

Characters. Similar to Arvicanthis dorsalis rosalia but upperparts
more grayish except at the base of the tail and the posterior part of
the rump; sides, especially toward the flanks marked with fairly
distinct broken rows of quadrate spots of clay color on a grizzled
olivaceous tawny ground; nape and shoulders grizzled olivaceous;
sides of neck and face similarly olivaceous but slightly paler, the deep
russet ears sharply contrasted; underparts pure creamy white to
roots of hairs. Skull larger and with decidedly heavier dentition
than in A. d. rosalia.

Measurements. Type: Total length 258; head and body 118;
tail vertebrae 140; hind foot 29.5; ear 17. Skull of type: Greatest
length 31.6; basilar length 25.5; zygomatic breadth 15.7; nasals
12.2; interorbital constriction 4.7; postpalatal length 11.3; diastema
7.6; palatine slits 6; upper toothrow 5.9; greatest width m'2.1.

Remarks. The type and only specimen of Arvicanthis d. rosalia
in the British Museum differs so markedly from our small series from
British East Africa that the separation of the latter is scarcely to be
avoided although the two forms are geographically near. The type
of rosalia may perhaps be abnormal, but this scarcely seems probable,
since it differs from our series not only in color but also in cranial and
dental characters.

Mungos ichneumon funestus subsp. nov.

Type from Naivasha, British East Africa. No 17808 Field
Museum of Natural History. Adult female. Collected February i,
1906, by C. E. Akeley.

Characters. Similar in color to Mungos ichneumon of northern
Egypt, the hairs of the upperparts being much more coarsely an-
nulated than in M. i. caffer of South Africa. Size slightly smaller
than in M. ichneumon; skull with shorter nasals and weaker denti-
tion; width of incisive series reduced; pm^ and pm^ relatively weak
and compressed ; postorbital processes relatively broad and heavy.

Measurements. Type: Total length (dry skin, dressed) 1060;
head and body 571; tail vertebrae 489. Skull of type: Greatest
length 98; basilar length 90; zygomatic breadth 49.2; interorbital
constriction 17.7; median length of nasals 18.9; width between
outer sides of first upper premolars 16.7; width of upper incisive
series 9.55; front, of canine to back of m^ 34-8; length pm^ 5-25;
length pm^ (oblique) 9.75; greatest thickness pm^ 2.5.

i8 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X.

Remarks. The cranial and dental characters given above are
constant in the small number of skulls examined. Seven adult
skulls from East Africa and five from Egypt have been available.
Apparently none of the South and West African forms need to be
considered as all are different in color. M. i. angolensis Bocage is
practically identical with the East African form in cranial characters
but differs widely in color. M. i. parvidens Lonnberg from Lower
Congo has even weaker teeth than funestus and as described is further
characterized by small size, short tail, and short hair. M. i. cajjer
differs still further both in color and in cranial characters. Typical
ichneumon of northern Egypt is therefore the only form with which
East African material needs close comparison.

Sylvisorex mundus sp. nov.

Type from Kijabe. British East Africa. No 16801 Field Museum
of Natural History. Adult male. Collected January 24, 1906, by E.
Heller.

Characters. Similar to Sylvisorex granti of Mount Ruwenzori ;
size larger; tail relatively shorter; braincase narrower and slightly
deeper; rostrum more slender; second unicuspid relatively small.
Skull and teeth smaller and braincase relatively wider than in 5.
sorella. Upperparts dark blackish slate; underparts slightly paler
than upper; hairs of back 4-5 mm. in length; feet sooty brownish,
darkest on the inside; tail blackish above, somewhat paler below.

Measurements. Type: Total length 129; head and body 70;
tail vertebrae 59; hind foot 12.5. Skull of type: Greatest length
17.2; greatest breadth 8.45; postpalatal length 7.4; greatest width
between outer sides of molars 5.3; length of upper toothrow 7.1.

Remarks. The types of the species allied to this form, 5. granti
and 5. sorella, are both in alcohol, so it is not possible to determine
their exact natural coloration, but they are sufficiently distinguished
by cranial characters. Possibly further collections may demonstrate
that all three are connected by gradations.

Crocidura voi sp. nov.

Type from Voi, British East Africa. No. 16942 Field Museum of
Natural History. Adult male. Collected April 12, 1906, by E.
Heller.

Characters. Size rather large; tail relatively short, scarcely half
as long as head and body; general color slaty above and dull yellow-
ish or grayish white below, the light and dark areas quite sharply
contrasted; upper lip extensively whitish; feet white. Skull large,
long, and narrow; teeth heavier than in any other east African shrew
except nyansce; second unicuspid decidedly larger than third.

April, 1910. New East African Mammals — Osgood. 19

Measurements. Type and one topotype, respectively: Total
length 136, 153; head and body 90, 116; tail vertebrae 46, 37; hind
foot 14.5, 14. Skull of type: Greatest length 24.2; width of brain-
case 9.7; maxillary width 8.2; length of toothrow 11; i' to pm* 5.7:
alveolar length pm* 2.3 ; breadth m^ 3.1 ; length molariform series 5.9.

Remarks. During a fairly critical examination of all the Croci-
durae in the British Natural History Museum, no species has been
found having any close relationship to the one here described. Its
very short tail combined with its sharply contrasted slaty and white
coloration distinguish it externally and its narrow skull and heavy
dentition characterize it otherwise.

Crocidura parvipes sp. nov.

Type from Voi, British East Africa. No. 16890 Field Museum of
Natural History. Adult male. Collected April 18, 1906, by E. Heller.

Characters. Size medium; hind foot and tail very short, the latter
less than half the length of the head and body. Underparts brownish
fawn color slightly broken with a fine speckling of paler approaching
drab gray, about the same color as pale examples of C. jacksoni;
underparts white tinged with creamy, the bases of the hairs pale slate
gray; line of demarcation between upper- and underparts sharpy
passing along the side of the face just below the eye through the
ear (the upper part of the ear thus being brownish and the lower
whitish) and along the sides above the foreleg to the thigh ; feet and
legs whitish; tail broadly whitish below, brownish above. Skull
about the size of that of C. jacksoni but slightly shorter and broader
with the teeth slightly shorter and broader and more crowded;
third unicuspid slightly larger than second but appearing smaller in
lateral view since its posterior third is hidden by the anterior cusp of
pm^, the next tooth.

Measurements. Type: Total length 122; head and body 84;
tail vertebrae 38; hind foot 11. 5. Skull of type: Greatest length
20.7; breadth of braincase 9.5; maxillary breadth 7.1; length of
upper toothrow 8.7; i^ to pm'* 4.2; length of molariform series 4.75;
width m^ 2.35.

Remarks. The coloration and proportions of this species suggest
a possible relationship with Crocidura bicolor as represented by speci-
mens from Caconda, Angola. But C. bicolor is a much smaller species
with a relatively longer tail and decidedly smaller skull.

Crocidura xantippe sp. nov.

Type from Voi, British East Africa. No. 16888 Field Museum of
Natural History. Adult male. Collected April 15, 1906, by E. Heller.

20 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X.

Characters. Allied to Crocidura argentata fischeri, with which it
agrees in the general color of the upperparts, but tail decidedly longer
and more extensively dusk}^ on the upper side. Upperparts in fresh
pelage fawn color with a fine ve^rmiculation of lighter (almost ecru
drab) ; underparts and upper lip dull grayish white, the bases of the
hairs mouse gray to smoke gray; feet white; tail above broadly dusky
brownish, below whitish for proximal two- thirds, mixed dusky and
whitish for terminal third. Skull similar to that of fischeri but smaller
and with a more compressed rostrum and decidedly smaller teeth;
second unicuspid very slightly smaller than third.

Measurements. Type: Total length 150; head and body 90;
tail vertebrae 60; hind foot 15. Skull of type: Condylo-incisive
length 22; length of toothrow 9.6; maxillary width 6.8; greatest
width of m' 2.3.

Remarks. The few differences between this species and C. a. fischeri
are so pronounced that it is not possible at present to include it with
that form as a subspecies of argentata. The difference in the size of
the teeth is quite decided and there is no indication of gradation.
The color, however, is about as in fischeri except that the tail is darker.

Crocidura allex sp. nov.

Type from Naivasha, British East Africa. No. 16820 Field
Museum of Natural History. Adult male. Collected January 31,
1906, by E. Heller.

Characters. Allied to C. bottegi and possibly to C. cunninghamei ;
size larger than in bottegi with larger skull and teeth; color lighter
especially on underparts and feet; size somewhat smaller than in
cunninghamei; skull shorter with a higher, more vaulted braincase;
teeth smaller. Upperparts dull brown; underparts buffy gray; feet
grayish, practically same color as underparts; pelage longer and*
coarser than in cmniiHghamei.

Measurements. Type: Total length. 109 ; head and body 64; tail
vertebrae 45; hind foot 12. Skull: Greatest length 17.1; greatest
breadth 7.7; maxillary breadth 5.2 ; postpalatal length 7.9; toothrow
7.15; greatest width m^ 1.7.

Remarks. The shape of the skull in this species is more like that of
bottegi than that of cunninghamei and its teeth though larger are more
like those of bottegi. C. cunninghamei has a longer, narrower skull
and a flatter braincase, and its teeth are scarcely smaller than in small
specimens of hildegardeae.

Crocidura fumosa schistacea subsp. nov.

Type from Lukenya Mountain, British East Africa. No. 16884

April, 1910. New East African Mammals — Osgood. 21

Field Museum of Natural History. Adult female. Collected Decem-
ber 15, 1905, by E. Heller.

Characters. Similar to C. fumosa but paler and less brownish in
color especially on the underparts. Upperparts in fresh pelage dark
mouse gray with a little light silvery ticking; underparts paler, the
basal color slate color to blackish slate instead of slate black, the tips
very pale broccoli brown, much paler than in fumosa; feet averaging
considerably paler; tail decidedly more distinctly bicolor (in fumosa
as a rule the tail is practically all dark or at most only very slightly
lighter below).

Measurements. Type: Total length 145; head and dody 93;
tail vertebrae 52 ; hind foot (c. u.) 15. Skull of type: Greatest length
23-1 ; zygomatic breadth 10. i; postpalatal length 10.6; length of
toothrow 10.2.

Remarks. This is in general a bluish gray shrew while true fumosa
is a dark brownish one almost as dark below as above. Specimens
from Nairobi tend more or less toward the new form but appear to be
referable to fumosa.

Crocidura turba zaodon subsp. nov.

Type from Nairobi, British East Africa. No. 16929 Field Museum
of Natural History. Adult male. Collected December 2, 1905, by E.
Heller.

Characters. Very similar to C. turba but slightly larger, with a
slightly longer tail and somewhat heavier dentition. Color rather
darker than in the type of turba especially on the underparts. Upper-
parts rich seal brown ; underparts dark mummy brown ; feet entirely
dark blackish brown like upperparts; tail entirely blackish. Skull
somewhat larger than in turba with a broader and relatively flatter
braincase; teeth slightly larger and heavier throughout.

Measurements. Type: Total length 158; head and body 98 ; tail
vertebras 60; hind foot (c. u.) 18; ear 9. Average 10 topotypes:
Total length 160 (155-165); head and body 99 (89-110); tail verte-
brae 60 (56-65); hind foot 17 (16. 5-18). Skull of type: Condylo-
incisive length 24.3; breadth of braincase 10.4; maxillary breadth
7.4; length of upper toothrow 10.65; i^ to pm* 5.3; length molari-
form series 5.9; breadth m^ 2.5.