{{Short description|Genus of rodents}} {{distinguish|Rhabdomys}} {{automatic taxobox | fossil_range = Late Pliocene to Recent | image = Lemniscomys barbarus01.JPG | image_caption = Barbary striped grass mouse (''Lemniscomys barbarus'') | taxon = Lemniscomys | authority = Trouessart, 1881 | type_species = ''Mus barbarus'' | type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1766 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text }}

'''''Lemniscomys''''', sometimes known as '''striped grass mice''' or '''zebra mice''', is a genus of murine rodents from Africa. Most species are from Sub-Saharan Africa; ''L. barbarus'' is the only one found north of the Sahara.<ref name=Kingdon>Kingdon, J. (1997). ''The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals.'' pp. 212-213. {{ISBN|0-12-408355-2}}</ref> They are generally found in grassy habitats, but where several species overlap in distribution there is a level of habitat differentiation between them.<ref name=Kingdon/>

They are {{convert|18.5|-|29|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, of which about half is tail, and weigh {{convert|18|-|70|g|oz|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Kingdon/> The pelage pattern of the species fall into three main groups: The "true" zebra mice with distinct dark and pale stripes (''L. barbarus'', ''L. hoogstraali'' and ''L. zebra''), the spotted grass mice with more spotty/interrupted stripes (''L. bellieri'', ''L. macculus'', ''L. mittendorfi'' and ''L. striatus''), and the single-striped grass mice with only a single dark stripe along the back (''L. griselda'', ''L. linulus'', ''L. rosalia'' and ''L. roseveari'').<ref name=Carleton>Carleton, M D., and Van der Straeten, E. (1997). ''Morphological differentiation among Subsaharan and north African populations of the Lemniscomys barbarus complex (Rodentia : Muridae).'' [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/109905 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 110(4)]: 640-680.</ref><ref name=Walker>Novak, R. M., editor (1999). ''Walker's Mammals of the World.'' Vol. 2. 6th edition. pp. 1596-1597. {{ISBN|0-8018-5789-9}}</ref>

They are generally considered diurnal, but at least some species can be active during the night.<ref name=Walker/> They feed on plants, but sometimes take insects.<ref name=Kingdon/> There are up to 12 young per litter, but 4–5 is more common.<ref name=Walker/> The life expectancy is very short, in the wild often only a year, but a captive ''L. striatus'' lived for almost 5 years.<ref name=Walker/> A more typical captive life expectancy is 2–2½ years.<ref name=Tofts/>

While most are common and not threatened, ''L. mittendorfi'' is restricted to Mount Oku and was considered Vulnerable by the IUCN,<ref>{{cite iucn | author = van der Straeten, E. | title = ''Lemniscomys mittendorfi'' | volume = 2008 | article-number = e.T11486A3284110 | date = 2008 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T11486A3284110.en | access-date = 26 December 2017}}</ref> though it is currently ''Least Concern''.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Kennerley, R. |year=2019 |title=''Lemniscomys mittendorfi'' |volume=2019 |article-number=e.T11486A22438812 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T11486A22438812.en |access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref> ''L. hoogstraali'' and ''L. roseveari'' are both very poorly known, leading to their rating as Data Deficient.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Van der Straeten , E. |year=2016 |errata=2017 |title=''Lemniscomys hoogstraali'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T11490A115102793 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T11490A22438904.en |access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite iucn |author=Kennerley, R. |author2=Van der Straeten , E. |year=2016 |errata=2017 |title=''Lemniscomys roseveari'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T11494A115103218 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T11494A22439460.en |access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref> Some of the widespread species are regularly kept in captivity, especially ''L. barbarus'', ''L. striatus'' and ''L. zebra''.<ref name=Tofts><!-- Tofts citation uses oudated taxonomy (L. zebra a subspecies of L. barbarus), i.e. info valid for both-->Tofts, Russel. ''[http://www.jirds.cwc.net/rag/profiles/stms.htm Striped Mouse.]'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906113444/http://www.jirds.cwc.net/rag/profiles/stms.htm |date=September 6, 2007 }}</ref>

==Etymology== The etymology of the genus name ''Lemniscomys'' derives from the two ancient greek words {{wikt-lang|grc|λημνίσκος}} ({{grc-transl|λημνίσκος}}), meaning "stripe, ribbon", and {{wikt-lang|grc|μῦς}} ({{grc-transl|μῦς}}), meaning "mouse, rat",<ref>{{Cite book|title=Abrégé du dictionnaire grec français|last=Bailly|first=Anatole|date=1981-01-01|publisher=Hachette|isbn=2-01-003528-3|location=Paris|oclc=461974285}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tabularium.be/bailly/|title=Greek-french dictionary online|last=Bailly|first=Anatole|website=www.tabularium.be|access-date=2017-12-17}}</ref> and refers to the pelage pattern.

==Species== ''Lemniscomys'' currently includes 11 species.<ref name=MSW3>{{MSW3|id=13001406}}</ref> Until 1997, ''L. zebra'' was generally treated as a subspecies of ''L. barbarus''.<ref name=Carleton/> It is possible ''L. striatus'' and ''L. zebra'', as presently defined, actually are species complexes.<ref>{{cite iucn |author=van der Straeten, E. |author2=Decher, J. |author3=Corti, M. |author4=Abdel-Rahman, E.H. |year=2016 |errata=2018 |title=''Lemniscomys striatus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T11495A134928061 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T11495A22439555.en |access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite iucn |author=Cassola, F. |year=2016 |errata=2017 |title=''Lemniscomys zebra'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T41212A115177399 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41212A22438540.en |access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref>

* ''Lemniscomys barbarus'' {{small|(Linnaeus, 1766)}} &mdash; Barbary striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys bellieri'' {{small|Van der Straeten, 1975}} &mdash; Bellier's striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys griselda'' {{small|(Thomas, 1904)}} &mdash; Griselda's striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys hoogstraali'' {{small|Dieterlen, 1991}} &mdash; Hoogstraal's striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys linulus'' {{small|(Thomas, 1910)}} &mdash; Senegal one-striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys macculus'' {{small|(Thomas and Wroughton, 1910)}} &mdash; Buffoon striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys mittendorfi'' {{small|Eisentraut, 1968}} &mdash; Mittendorf's striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys rosalia'' {{small|(Thomas, 1904)}} &mdash; single-striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys roseveari'' {{small|Van der Straeten, 1980 }}&mdash; Rosevear's striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys striatus'' {{small|(Linnaeus, 1758)}} &mdash; typical striped grass mouse * ''Lemniscomys zebra'' {{small|(Heuglin, 1864)}} &mdash; Heuglin's striped grass mouse

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cite web|url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Lemniscomys.html |title=''Lemniscomys''|website=Animal Diversity Web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406133730/http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Lemniscomys.html|archive-date=6 April 2012}} *{{cite web|url=http://sn2000.taxonomy.nl/TaxonTree.aspx?id=62998&src=0 |title=Genus ''Lemniscomys'' |website=The Taxonomican}} (does not include the species ''Lemniscomys zebra'') *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930031527/http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/L/Lemniscomys_zebra.asp ''Lemniscomys zebra'' entry in "Zipcode Zoo"] (with links to entries for other ''Lemniscomys'' species and subspecies)

{{Murinae (Aethomys–Chrotomys)}} {{Myomorpha|E.|state=collapsed}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q875897}}

Category:Lemniscomys