Rhabdomys is a largely Southern African genus of muroid rodents slightly larger than house mice. They are known variously as striped or four-striped mice or rats. Traditionally the genus has been seen as a single species, Rhabdomys pumilio, though modern evidence on the basis of karyotype and mtDNA analysis suggests that it comprises two or more species and subspecies.[1] Dorsally Rhabdomys species display four characteristic black longitudinal stripes on a paler background.

Dorsally Rhabdomys species display four black longitudinal stripes on a paler background, and accordingly authors sometimes describe it as having seven stripes. In any event Rhabdomys species as a group are unmistakable because no similarly sized Southern African rodents are similarly marked. Their stripes inspired the generic name, which is derived from the Greek rhabdos meaning rod; hence Rhabdomys, meaning something like "barred mouse".

Physically they are fairly typical smallish Murids, rather larger than house mice, and with more of a "Roman nose". Head+body length is about 105mm, and the same for the tail. A large male might have a mass of 55 grams.

Ignoring distinctions between species, Rhabdomys as a genus is widespread and abundant in the Southern African subregion. A few areas apparently do not support a population, but for the most part they occur rather patchily all the way from the southernmost Western Cape to northern Namibia and parts of Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. It also has been recorded from parts of Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and southern Congo.

Unlike most small rodents, Rhabdomys species exhibit a diurnal, bimodal activity pattern, with activity concentrated around crepuscular periods in mornings and evenings, and reduced during the midday period.

The omnivorous diet, the ability to survive without water provided that the food has a minimum water content of 15%, and its extreme plasticity in habitat preference are likely reasons for its wide (if discontinuous; Brooks, 1982) distribution throughout Southern Africa.

Rhabdomys are fairly omnivorous and will eat some kinds of insects opportunistically, but their main foods are seeds and other vegetable matter such as certain forbs. They will also eat the underground storage organs of certain small species of geophytes, such as edible Moraeas, which they can locate by smell and dig up. Though they are by no means generally regarded as serious pests, their depredations can be unwelcome to grain farmers and horticulturists when their population happens to be high.

Rhabdomys are important prey items for many species of snake, and for small to medium-sized carnivores such as the caracal, serval, wildcat and black-footed cat, jackal, and several species of mongoose. They also are major food items for several species of birds of prey. Even owls take advantage when they catch the mice in crepuscular activity.

The following galleries are of two species of Rhabdomys encountered in South Africa:

The Mesic Four-striped Grass Rat (Rhabdomys dilectus) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.

Traditionally the genus Rhabdomys has been seen as a single species, Rhabdomys pumilio, though modern evidence on the basis of karyotype and mtDNA analysis suggests that it comprises a second species, Rhabdomys dilectus .

R. dilectus is divided in the following subspecies.

• R.d.dilectus (karyotypic form 2n = 46): Lesotho, South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, and eastern Zimbabwe;

• R.d.angolae (Wroughton, 1905): central and southern Angola;

• R.d.diminutus (Thomas, 1893): central and western Kenya, central-eastern Uganda, highlands of central-northern Tanzania, south-east Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Malawi

  The below is from Kgalagadi National Park South Africa and currently is not designated as its own subspecies: