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Lesser Big-footed Mouse
Macrotarsomys bastardi Milne-Edwards & G.Grandidier, 1898
Also calledBastard-MadagaskarGrofRfuRmaus (deu) · Kelibotra de Bastard (fra) · Topo dai piedi grandi occidentale (ita) · křeček malý (ces) · savannikoipihiiri (fin) · wielkostopek mniejszy (pol) · Большеногий хомяк Бастарда (rus) · アシナガマウス (jpn)
First described in: Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, ser. 1 vol.4 p.179
The bastard big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi) is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae, named after Eugène Joseph Bastard. It is found only in Madagascar. Macrotarsomys bastardi is the smallest-bodied of the three species recognized within the genus Macrotarsomys. Two subspecies have been recognized (M. b. occidentalis and M. b. bastardi) however 2004 studies did not find consistent differences between the subspecies and recommended "subspecific epithets be abandoned for this species". In May 2026, the species was officially recognised by LUCA (Land and Urban Conservation Association) as their animal of the week, edging out the Maltese bull.
Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF
description
● Long incisive foramen ending after the prelobe of M 1 ● m 3 elongated and narrow with no median longitudinal crest between the first and the second lobe of m 3 (Figure 4) but presence of an oblique crest ending on the lingual side of the molar. Attributed material: all from the Upper Stratum: 8 maxillaries; 15 mandibular rami; see Appendix. The specimens of Children’s Cave display the bunodont molar morphology of Macrotarsomys with round alternate cusps connected medially by a longitudinal crest (Figure 4 d, e, g – i). Their m 3 allows clear differentiation from M. koopmani because there is never any trace of a longitudinal median link connecting the first and the second lobes. They display some variability in size but compared to the three modern species they correspond to the smallest species, M. bastardi. However, the Children’s Cave specimens display a slight size difference to the modern representatives of this species. The fossil specimens of Children’s Cave are clearly smaller than the larger M. cf. petteri of Andrahomana site (Table 2). There is overlap with Monticolomys koopmani which displays small molars (Figure 5). The few Children’s Cave remains attributed to M. cf.
Subfossil rodents and tenrecs of Children’s Cave, Madagascar
discussion
The Children’s Cave specimens have been attributed to M. cf. bastardi based on the following characters that allow differentiation from M. koopmani:
Subfossil rodents and tenrecs of Children’s Cave, Madagascar
discussion
Discussion: Ellerman (1949) described occidentalis as a subspecies; its status has yet to be critically assessed.
Order Rodentia - Family Nesomyidae
distribution
Distribution: Dry deciduous forest and open savannah in NW, W, and S Madagascar, from the vicinity of Ankarafantsika to the island’s southernmost tip.
Order Rodentia - Family Nesomyidae
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Range & habitat
This is a terrestrial species, found primarily in xeric habitats such as dry deciduous forests in the northwest and spiny forests in the south.
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Every page naming Macrotarsomys bastardi in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 2438489.