Phylogeography and karyotypic description of the Ethiopian striped mouse (Mus imberbis)

Recent studies have shown that Mus imberbis , formerly known as Muriculus imberbis , is an internal lineage of the African subgenus Nannomys . Due to differences in coloration between specimens from the Abyssinian Plateau and Harar Plateau of the Ethiopian Highlands, populations from the Harar Plateau have been given subspecies status. Nonetheless, available data have been insufficient to assess phylogenetic structure of this species. In this work, we reconstruct phylogeographic structure of M. imberbis on the basis of molecular data. The obtained results refute the division of M. imberbis into two subspecies. We also describe for the first time the karyotype of this species.