The southern giant pouched rat (''Cricetomys ansorgei'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...

in the family Nesomyidae. It is distributed in the savannah of East and Southern Africa.

Synonyms

A large number of synonyms have been noted for this species. They include: * ''Cricetomys adventor'' Thomas and Wroughton, 1907 * ''Cricetomys cosensi'' Hinton, 1919 * ''Cricetomys cunctator'' Thomas and Wroughton, 1908 * ''Cricetomys elgonis'' Thomas, 1910 * ''Cricetomys enguvi'' Heller, 1912 * ''Cricetomys haagneri'' Roberts, 1926 * ''Cricetomys kenyensis'' Osgood, 1910 * ''Cricetomys luteus'' Dollman, 1911 * ''Cricetomys microtis'' Lönnberg, 1917 * ''Cricetomys osgoodi'' Heller, 1912 * ''Cricetomys raineyi'' Heller, 1912 * ''Cricetomys selindensis'' Roberts, 1946 * ''Cricetomys vaughanjonesi'' St. Leger, 1937 * ''Cricetomys viator'' Thomas, 1904

Distribution

The southern giant pouched rat is widely distributed in mainly tropical regions of southern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, notably

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...

, and the

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

Description

The southern giant pouched rat is a large rodent, with males larger than females. Adult males typically weigh , while females weigh . The pouches for which these rats are named consist of oversized cheek-pouches. These oversized cheek pouches are often used to transport large food-finds back to their burrows for storage. From their nose to the tip of their tail, these animals are approximately long. They have dark brown to reddish fur on their backs and a pale belly. The tail is bi-colored, brown with white at the distal third of the tail. Females have small litters, usually between 1-3 young at a time. Males

scent mark In ethology, territory is the sociographical area that an animal consistently defends against conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against animals of other species) using agonistic behaviors or (less commonly) real physical aggression. A ...

using cheek and anogenital rubbing, as well as urine, and appear to preferentially mark unfamiliar locations.

Taxonomy

An analysis of cranial head measurements, as well as mitochondrial cytochrome b phylogeny shows ''C. ansorgei'' to be distinct from other members of the genus '' Cricetomys''. ''C. ansorgei'' may have a largely-undescribed sister species that resides west of the Congo River. Previously, many animals described as ''

Cricetomys gambianus The Gambian pouched rat (''Cricetomys gambianus''), also commonly known as the African giant pouched rat, is a species of nocturnal pouched rat of the giant pouched rat genus ''Cricetomys'', in the family Nesomyidae. It is among the largest mu ...

'' may have instead been ''C. ansorgei'' based on this new characterization.

Use by humans

The southern African giant pouched rat is used in

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

detection, and in locating

landmine A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...

s through initiatives by

APOPO APOPO (an acronym for Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling: "Anti-Personnel Landmines Detection Product Development" in English) is a registered Belgian non-governmental organisation and US non-profit which trains southern giant ...

. It is also popular as

bushmeat Bushmeat is meat from wildlife species that are hunted for human consumption, most often referring to the meat of game in Africa. Bushmeat represents a primary source of animal protein and a cash-earning commodity for inhabitants of humid tropi ...

Synonyms

Distribution

Description

Taxonomy

Use by humans

References

Further reading