The diet of Scutisorex somereni (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) from forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo was investigated to elucidate its feeding ecology in the context of its unique spinal modifications. It ate a wide range of small and large invertebrates, including representatives of Coleoptera, Formicidae, Lepidoptera and Diptera larvae, Chilopoda, Diplopoda and Araneae, but the principal prey was Oligochaeta. All diet samples contained Oligochaeta and these contributed 38-45% of prey volume. While 64% of prey occurrences were o10 mm in length, 56% of prey volume comprised invertebrates 426 mm, mostly large Oligochaeta (some of 450 mm). Soil-dwelling prey comprised 46% by composition (59% by volume) of the diet. Besides its peculiar skeletal modifications, it has an exceptionally long intestine relative to its body size. It was concluded that S. somereni is primarily an earthworm-eating shrew and partially subterranean rather than truly fossorial in foraging mode. Its diet and foraging mode cannot explain the unique vertebral modifications of this zoological curiosity.
Two new specimens of Lamottemys okuensis, discovered in the collection of Museum Koenig, Bonn are described and compared to the two types. All the specimens come from Mount Oku in Cameroon. The collecting habitat is characterized. Comparison with related murid genera confirms the independence of Lamottemys.Characters of the molar pattern, above all, speak for a close relationship to Oenomys, more than to Desmomys.Résumé. -Deux nouveaux spécimens de Lamottemys okuensis, qui ont été découverts dans la collection du Museum Koenig, Bonn, sont décrits et comparés avec les deux types. Tous les spécimens proviennent du mont Oku, Cameroun. L'habitat de capture est caractérisé. La comparaison avec des genres de Muridés voisins confirme que Lamottemys est un genre particulier. Ce sont les caractères du dessin des molaires, notamment, qui nous semblent parler en faveur d'une parenté plus proche avec Oenomys qu'avec Desmomys.
Zusammenfassung
Wenn es zutrifi, daf3 die typisch afrikanischen, friiher den Muridae zugestellten Gruppen Den‐ dromurinae, Petromyscinae und Cricetomyinae den Cricetiden viel naher stehen und dafl die bei den Muriden noch verbliebenen afrikanischen Otomyinae ‐ wie hier dargelegt wird ‐ den Muriden mindestens ebenso fern stehen wie die oben genannten, so bleiben von den echten Muriden in Afrika nur die Murinae iibrig. Diese aber sind hochstwahrscheinlich sudostasiati‐ schen Ursprungs und nach Afrika relativ spat eingewandert. Afrika scheint also keine autochthonen Muriden zu besitzen. Fossilienfunde und tiergeographische Tatsachen stiitzen diese Ansicht.
Summary
Aspects of the Origin and Distribution of the Muridae Importance of the Systematic Position of the Otominae
If it is right that the typical african groups of Dendromurinae, Petromyscinae and Cricetomyinae – formerly all considered as Muridae – are Cricetids and that the African Otomyinae – as stated here – are not Murids, the Murinae are the only remaining “true” Muridae of Africa. These, however are probably of Southeast Asian origin and are relative lately immigrated in Africa. Africa therefore seems to have no autochthonous Muridae. This opinion is supported by fossils and zoogeographical facts.
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