Tete veld aethomys [SEP] parent taxon
Tete veld aethomys
The Tete veld aethomys or Tete veld rat ("Aethomys ineptus") is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
It is found in South Africa and Swaziland. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, shrubland, and grassland. The common name refers to the type locality, Tete, on the Zambesi River.
Description.
The Tete veld rat is moderately sized, with a head-body length of , an almost hairless tail measuring , and a weight of . The fur is
example of a cryptic species. Other than analysis of chromosomes or mitochondrial DNA, the two species can only be reliably distinguished by the shape of their spermatozoa, which have an unusual spatulated shape in Tete veld rats.
Distribution and habitat.
Because of the extreme physical similarity between Tete veld rats and red rock rats, the exact range of the latter is unclear, and some areas may exist where both species are found together. However, the current best estimate suggests that Tete veld rats are found in Swaziland and northeastern