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Abstract: Aethomys ineptus (Thomas and Wroughton, 1908), commonly called the Tete veld rat, is a medium-sized rodent with a long, sparsely haired tail and spermatozoa with spatulate-shaped heads (unique for all muroid rodents thus far examined). A. ineptus co-occurs with its sibling species, A. chrysophilus, and in areas of co-occurrence, an examination of spermatozoa, diploid number, allozymes, or mitochondrial DNA is required to distinguish the 2. Previous work described as many as 11 species of Aethomys, but recent evidence indicates a need for taxonomic revision of the genus. Endemic to Africa, A. ineptus prefers habitats where there is substantial cover in the form of shrubs, rocks, and herbaceous vegetation. It is not of special conservation concern. DOI: 10.1644/809.1.
Key words: Aethomys, Africa, muroid, rodent, sibling species, Tete veld, Tete veld rat
Published 6 June 2008 by the American Society of Mammalogists
Synonymy completed 1 September 2007
Aethomys ineptus (Thomas and Wroughton, 1908) Tete Veld Rat
Mus chrysophilus ineptus Thomas and Wroughton, 1908:546. Type locality "Tete, Zambezi River, Mozambique."
Mus chrysophilus tzaneenensis Jameson, 1909:460. Type locality "Tzaneen, north-eastern Transvaal [= Limpopo Province], South Africa."
Mus chrysophilus pretoriae Roberts, 1913:85. Type locality "Fountains Valley, Pretoria, Transvaal [5 Gauteng Province], South Africa."
Aethomys chrysophilus magalakuini Roberts, 1926:254. Type locality "Wilhanshohe, Magalakuin [= Mogalakwena] River, north-western Transvaal [= Limpopo Province], South Africa."
Aethomys chrysophilus capricornis Roberts, 1926:254. Type locality "Newgate Farm, Soutpansberg, northern Transvaal [= Limpopo Province], South Africa."
Aethomys chrysophilus tongensis Roberts, 1931:235. Type locality Mangusi Forest, north-eastern Zululand [= Kwa- Zulu-Natal Province], South Africa."
Aethomys chrysophilus ineptus G. M. Allen, 1939:369. Name combination.
Aethomys chrysophilus fouriei Roberts, 1946:319. Type locality "Oshikanga, Ovambo-Angola border" [Namibia].
Aethomys chrysophilus harei Roberts, 1946:320. Type locality "Waterberg, Otjiwarongo district, South-West Africa" [north-central Namibia].
Aethomys ineptus: Chimimba, 1998:432. First use of current name combination.
CONTEXT AND CONTENT. Order Rodentia, suborder Myomorpha, superfamily Muroidea, family Muridae, subfamily Murinae, genus Aethomys (Bronner et al. 2003). The recognition of A. ineptus is based on a taxonomic elevation of 1 of the 10 previously recognized subspecies of A. chrysophilus (sensu lato) in a recent revision of the genus in southern Africa (Chimimba 1998; Chimimba and Bennett 2005; Chimimba et al. 1999). Seven of the 9 previously recognized subspecies were reallocated to A. ineptus as junior synonyms...