Cape spiny mouse

The Cape spiny mouse, Acomys subspinosus, is a murid rodent found largely in the Western Cape province of South Africa, with a range that just extends into the Eastern and Northern Cape. Its back is covered in spiny hairs of dark grey-brown, its underside is white, its eyes and ears are large, and its scaly, nearly bare tail is brittle and can break off whole or in part if the animal is seized. It measures about 17 cm in total length, including an 8 cm tail, and typically weighs 22 g. It occurs up to about 1,000 m above sea level in Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation and rocky areas, and is terrestrial and mainly nocturnal. It eats mostly seeds, notably the ant-dispersed seeds of Restionaceae and Proteaceae, along with green plant material, insects, millipedes and snails. It is a significant pollinator of Protea humiflora and the primary pollinator of Erica hanekomii, and it breeds opportunistically when food is sufficient, with litters of two to five pups.