FOREST BLOCKS AND ALTITUDE AS INDICATORS OF MYOMYS ALBIPES (RUPPELL 1842) (MAMMALIA-RODENTIA) DISTRIBUTION IN ETHIOPIA

Myomys albipes (Ruppel 1842) is an endemic rodent of the Ethiopian pla teau, It occurs most commonly at altitudes between 1500 and 3300 m a.s .l. Its habitat varies from forest to scrub and the high altitude heat hland. Information on altitude, vegetation, trap nights, trapping succ ess and proportion of M. albipes in the catch were available for 26 lo calities throughout its distribution area. These were used to estimate the chances of finding the species at a given site, The species prefe rs the dense forests that are progressively shrinking, so perhaps it r an be used as a reliable indicator of forest block reduction on an his torical basis.