Oubangui mouse

The Oubangui mouse (Mus oubanguii) is a very small rodent of the family Muridae, known only from the Central African Republic, where it lives in dry savanna. It was described by F. Petter and Genest in 1970 and belongs to the subgenus Nannomys of the genus Mus. The head and body measure roughly 50 to 69 millimetres, and the tail is short, about 60 percent of the head and body length. The fur is reddish brown above and pure white below, the feet are white, and the blackish, slightly pointed ears carry a large white spot behind them. Females have five pairs of nipples. The species is nocturnal and terrestrial, digs simple underground burrows and nests alone except for females with litters, whose young are born in spherical chambers lined with vegetation. Limited records suggest births in May and June with four or five young, and captive animals eat seeds and insects. It is known from only a few localities in the south of the country and is classed as Data Deficient by the IUCN.