Allactaga (Allactaga) firouzi Womochel 1978

Allactaga (Allactaga) firouzi Womochel 1978, Fieldiana Zool., 72 (5): 65.

Type Locality: Iran, Isfahan Prov., 18 mi (29 km) S Shah Reza (Qomisheh), 2253 m.

Vernacular Names: Iranian Jerboa.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality, a flat plain with a gravel substrate and sparse, mountain steppe vegetation (Womochel, 1978).

Conservation: IUCN – Critically Endangered.

Discussion: Subgenus Allactaga (not allocated to subgenus by Shenbrot, 1984). Allactaga firouzi appears to be morphologically distinct from A. euphratica and A. hotsoni (Womochel, 1978), but its relationship with these and other species of allactagines needs further study. Shenbrot (1993) tenatively synonymized firouzi with A. elater turkmeni, but later (in litt.) examinied the type specimen and considered firouzi synonymous with hotsoni, which is where Pavlinov et al. (1995) listed it. We recognize the species until published data indicates otherwise.