Abstract
In West Africa, 2 spp. of multimammate rats live together: M. erythroleucus and M. huberti. They are distinguished by the color of their fur and by their karyotype. M. erythroleucus has 2 N = 38 and is mainly fawn-colored on the back and gray-white on the underside. M. huberti has 2 N = 32 and is predominantly gray on the back and grizzled or gray on the underside.