Gerbillus syrticus, Misonne, 1974, Misonne, 1974

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Muridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 536-884 : 631

103.

Sand Gerbil

Gerbullus syrticus

French: Gerbille de Syrte / German: Sandrennmaus / Spanish: Gerbillo de arena

Taxonomy. Gerbillus syrticus Misonne, 1974 ,

12 \ km N. Nofilia, Libya. ıfiı

A poorly known species, G. syrticus was tentatively placed in synonymy with G. henleyi by D. M. Lay in 1983, 1. Ya. Pavlinov and colleagues in 1990, and S. Aulagnier and colleagues in 2009 on morphological grounds, but G. G. Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005 retained it as valid pending further revision and further geneticdata. D. C. D. Happold did not mention it in his

2013 work on African mammals. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in NC Libya

.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 51 mm,tail 53 mm, hindfoot 18 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Sand Gerbil is very small, with short (103% of head—body length) bicolored tail, and has naked soles on hindfeet. In original description, skull drawing shows holotype to be a juvenile, with lower M, not erupted, but molars are clearly larger than those of the Pygmy Gerbil ( G. henleyi ) and with different cusp pattern.

Habitat. Pre-desertic region with Calligonum (Polygonaceae) bush, sand dunes with Artemisia (Asteraceae) and Asphodelus (Asphodelaceae) .

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Sand Gerbil is probably nocturnal and terrestrial, digging burrows.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List. The Sand Gerbil, if found to be a valid species, may be seriously threatened owing to instability of region where it is found.

Bibliography. Aulagnier et al. (2009), Happold (2013a), Lay (1983), Misonne (1974), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pavlinov et al. (1990).

Figures

86. Ammodile (Ammodillus imbellis), 87. Pleasant Gerbil (Gerbillus amoenus), 88. Anderson’s Gerbil (Gerbillus andersoni), 89. Botta’s Gerbil (Gerbillus bottai), 90. North African Gerbil (Gerbillus campestris), 91. Flower’s Gerbil (Gerbillus floweri), 92. Algerian Gerbil (Gerbillus garamantis), 93. Lesser Egyptian Gerbil (Gerbillus gerbillus), 94. Grobben’s Gerbil (Gerbillus grobbeni), 95. Pygmy Gerbil (Gerbillus henleyi), 96. Moroccan Gerbil (Gerbillus hesperinus), 97. Hoogstraal’s Gerbil (Gerbillus hoogstraali), 98. James's Gerbil (Gerbillus jamesi), 99. Lataste’s Gerbil (Gerbillus latastei), 100. Greater Short-tailed Gerbil (Gerbillus maghrebi), 101. Occidental Gerbil (Gerbillus occiduus), 102. Lesser Short-tailed Gerbil (Gerbillus simoni), 103. Sand Gerbil (Gerbullus syrticus), 104. Tarabul Gerbil (Gerbillus tarabuli), 105. Vivacious Gerbil (Gerbillus vivax), 106. Waters’s Gerbil (Gerbillus watersi), 107. Agag Gerbil (Gerbillus agag), 108. Lowe’s Gerbil (Gerbillus lower), 109. Mauritanian Gerbil (Gerbillus mauritaniae), 110. Darfur Gerbil (Gerbillus muriculus), 111. Sudan Gerbil (Gerbillus nancillus)

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in NC Libya .