Mammals

38. Greater big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys ingens) CR
A medium-sized mouse with large ears, long hind feet and an extremely long tail. Little is known about the ecology of this species. It is thought to be nocturnal, living in underground burrows during the day and searching for food up in the trees at night. The species is known from a single locality, and is likely to be declining as a result of habitat degradation. Its forest habitat suffered from frequent fires during the dry season, and cattle are encroaching onto the reserve in which it lives.
Urgent Conservation Actions
No conservation measures have been proposed for this species.
Distribution
Northwestern Madagascar.
 
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Evolutionary Distinctiveness
Order: Rodentia
Family: Muridae
The greater big-footed mouse belongs to the subfamily Nesomyinae, an extremely diverse group of some 23 muroid rodents endemic to Madagascar. This group is believed to have evolved in East Africa during the early Miocene (26 million years ago), and to have become isolated on Madagascar in the late Miocene (around 7 million years ago). There are two species in this genus: Macrotarsomys ingens (greater big-footed mouse) and M. bastardi (bastard big-footed mouse).
Description
Size: 
Head and body length: 120 mm
Tail length: 210 mm
Weight: Unknown
A medium-sized mouse with large ears, long hind feet and an extremely long tail. The upper parts are a brownish-fawn colour and the underparts are whitish. The tail is relatively stiff and has a terminal tuft. The three central toes are longer than the first and fifth digits, and the fifth toe is longer than the reduced first toe.
Ecology
A nocturnal species living in underground burrows during the day, and largely arboreal at night.
Habitat
The type specimen was found in dry deciduous forest.
Distribution
Known only from the Ankarafantsika Forest in northwestern Madagascar.
Population Estimate
Unknown.
Status
Classified as Critically Endangered (CR B1+2c) on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.   
Threats
The species is known only from a single locality, and is likely to be declining as a result of habitat degradation. Its forest habitat suffered from frequent fires during the dry season, and cattle are encroaching onto the reserve in which it lives.
Conservation Underway
Occurs in National Park d’Ankarafantsika (located in Majunga Province and around Ampijoroa).
Conservation Proposed
No official conservation recommendations have been made for this species.
References
Baillie, J. 1996. Macrotarsomys ingens. In: IUCN 2004. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 01 March 2006.

Nowak, R.M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. Sixth edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.

United Nations Environment Programme/ World Conservation Monitoring Centre: Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de L'Ankarafantsika.

Distribution map based on data provided by the IUCN Global Mammal Assessment.

if you can provide new information to update this species account or to correct any errors, please email us at info@edgeofexistence.org


Forum comments

  1. Anonymous
    Unregistered

    how many are left in the wild? i need this for my project

    Posted 1 year ago #

  2. Anonymous
    Unregistered

    Um.... can it jump really high? i need it for my report so i need all the ino to help my grades.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  3. Anonymous
    Unregistered

    what does it eat

    Posted 1 year ago #

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