Dendromus mystacalis
chestnut climbing mouse

Dendromus mystacalis resides in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It is found along the east African coast south of Somalia and westward to the Atlantic coast in Nigeria. The range extends south to Angola in the west, to the southern tip of South Africa in the east, but most of Namibia and Botswana are excluded from the range. (Kingdon, 1974)

Dendromus mystacalis is common in the banana "shambas" and in grass, herbage, and bush in the African savanna. It does not occur in true forests or in very arid areas. It is noticeably more prevalent where the common weed "namirembe" (Ageratum conyzoides) is abundant. It is a low altitude species, not found at elevations exceding 2,000 meters above sea level. (Delany, 1975; Kingdon, 1974)

Dendromus mystacalis is a relatively small mouse for the genus. Females are generally smaller than males. Average measurements are: Head and body 0 (50 to 80) mm, tail 83 (72 to 101) mm, hindfoot 17 (14 to 20) mm, ear 12 (10 to 14) mm, and weight 7 to 17 g. (Delany, 1975; Kingdon, 1974)

All Dendromus have grooved incisors on the upper jaw, a tail greater than 60 mm in length, and only 3 well-developed digits on their front feet. The hindfeet are normal, but have a short hallux. The second digit is about as long as the fifth digit. The fur on the back is dark yellowish-brown on the tips, while the bases of the hairs are a slate color. The fur on the ventrum is lighter - usually white or light brown. Other Dendromus have a dorsal stripe. Normally, D. mystacalis does not, but there are variations. Some show a "vestigial stripe" and a few have an obvious dorsal stripe. The color of the fur can range from a pale sandy brown to a rich, moderately dark brown. (Delany, 1975; Kingdon, 1974)

The life span for D. mystacalis has not been determined. However, a closely related species, Dendromus mesomelas, was documented in 1973 to live 3 years and 3 months in captivity. Dendromus mystacalis is probably similar. (Jones, 1982)

Dendromus mystacalis is a nocturnal species, and is almost exclusively arboreal in tall grasses, but if necessary, it can still live on the ground. Its semi-prehensile tail and small size are advantageous in climbing thin and unstable stems. (Delany, 1975; Kingdon, 1974)

Male and female mice build nests that are quite similar to each other. The nests are elevated, being built anywhere from just above the ground up to three meters high. The mice will build nests in bushes, grasses, or trees. The nests are made of shredded banana leaves or long, wiry grass. The inside of the nest is more finely shredded than the outside. Nests are globular with a hole in one side. They are less than 7.35 cm in diameter, and only one adult mouse occupies a nest. The nests are often built lower to the ground, but can be in exposed areas high up in banana trees or other tall vegetation. (Delany, 1975; Kingdon, 1974)

Dendromus mystacalis has successfully adapted to human disturbances. It is often found in gardens, banana trees and bunches, pineapples, sweet potato vines, palms, and thatched roofs. (Kingdon, 1974)

Dendromus mystacalis is an aggressive mouse. It will fight fiercely with other mice, especially with D. melanotis. Individuals of this species appear to be dominant to Mus minutoides and Mus triton individuals, but subordinate to Dendromus melanotis. When D. mystacalis is provoked, it is able to make vertical leaps up to 45 cm. (Delany, 1975; Kingdon, 1974)

Home Range

The home range of D. mystacalis is unknown.

Very little information is available on communication in D. mysticalis. However, Like other small rodents, they are likely to use smell and acoustic information extensively, along with vision and touch.

Dendromus mystacalis is omnivorous. Its diet consists of seeds from grasses, foliage, and arthropods. In a study of stomach contents, the grasses and foliage made up more than 75% of the diet, whereas arthropods made up less than 25%. This species is primarily nocturnal, doing its foraging at night. (Delany, 1975; Monadjem, 1997; Smithers, 1971)

All Dendromus species are often prey for small African predators. However, details on predation upon this species are lacking. (Smithers, 1971)

The ranges of D. mystacalis and D. melanotis overlap, and the two species are very aggressive towards each other. The aggressiveness could be an indication of natural competition. Studies show D. melanotis tends to outcompete D. mystacalis. When D. melanotis is present in an ecosystem, D. mystacalis will more often occupy the dry-grass savanna. When D. melanotis is absent, D. mystacalis will more often occupy the wetter areas. (Kingdon, 1974)

Densities of D. mystacalis were reported for Haut Ituri in 1963 as 0.6 mice/ha in savanna with secondary herbaceous growth, 3.6 mice/ha in a marsh, and 19.8 mice/ha in herbaceous growth bordering a marsh (Kingdon, 1974)

In addition to its role in interspecific competition, possibly limiting the distribution of other species of mice, D. mystacalis probably plays some role in dispursing seeds which it eats. As a prey species, D. mystacalis probably affects predator populations. As an insect predator, these mice probably have some impact on insect populations.

Although D. mystacalis will inhabit banana trees, human structures, and gardens, no negative economic effects have been documented. (Delany, 1975)

Several national parks in Africa (Malolotja National Park, for example) list D. mystacalis on their mammal lists. The presence of D. mysticalis may add to the ecotourism in these parks, but this is not likely due to the small size of these mice, their nocturnal habits, and their lack of any overtly charismatic characteristics. However, as a prey species, they probably contribute to maintaining populations of animals which are of greater interest to tourists. (Swaziland National Trust Commission, 2001)

Dendromus mystacalis is not protected under CITES, the IUCN Redlist, or the ESA. (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 2002; International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 2002; United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 2002)

Other English common names for D. mystacalis include lesser climbing mouse, banana climbing mouse, and chestnut climbing mouse (Delany, 1975; Smithers, 1971; World Institute for Conservation and Environment, 2002)

Currently recognized subspecies of D. mystacalis include D. m. jamesoni Wroughton, D. m. whytei Hayman, and D. m. messorius. Dendromus mystacalis messorius is listed by some authors as a separate species. (Ansell, 1960; Smithers, 1971)

Dendromus mystacalis was historically called Dendromus pumilio Wagner. (Ansell, 1960)