The Crete spiny mouse (''Acomys minous'') is a species of mouse
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
. It is characterized by the coarse, stiff hairs on its back and tail and a notably grayer coloration and more pointed face than other species of
spiny mice. Its fur color varies from yellow to red, gray or brown on its face and back, with white fur on its underside. It is a
nocturnal forager, feeding mainly on grass blades and seeds, and builds only a very rudimentary nest.
The
gestation is between five and six weeks, which is unusually long for a mouse. At birth, other females clean and assist the mother. The young are well developed with open eyes when they are born.
Its
taxonomic position is uncertain (it may be a variant of the
Cairo spiny mouse) leading the
IUCN to consider it
data deficient, but it is common within its range and even if a valid species it is not threatened.
References
*
Acomys
Rodents of Europe
Endemic fauna of Crete
Mammals described in 1906
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