Marmota menzbieri (Kashkarov, 1925)
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https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6819030 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFA3-ED5F-FA17-F417FC54F01A |
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Diego |
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scientific name |
Marmota menzbieri |
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Menzbier’s Marmot
French: Marmotte de Menzbier / German: Menzbie-Murmeltier / Spanish: Marmota de Menziber
Taxonomy. Arctomys menzbieri Kashkarov, 1925 ,
“Chigyr-Tash, in the headwaters of the Ugam River, Talass Ala Tau” [Yuzhno-Kazakhstansk. Obl., Kazakhstan].
Two subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
M.m.menzbieriKashkarov,1925—WTianShanMtsinKazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,andUzbekistan.
M. m. zachidovi Petrov, 1963 — N Tian Shan Mts in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 490 mm, tail mean 120 mm; weight 3—4 kg. Menzbier’s Marmot has straw-to-tan dorsal pelage, frosted with dark brown to black. Head is browner, sometimes with buff on chin and snout; front limbs are cream to tan. During summer, pelage has rufous suffusion. Venter is cream to tan. Tail is straw to light brown, with dark brown to black tip. Chromosomal complementis 2n = 38 and FN = 70. Subspecies are separated by 100 km.
Habitat. Open high-elevation alpine and subalpine meadows. Menzbier’s Marmot can tolerate some encroachment ofjuniper (Juniperus, Cupressaceae).
Food and Feeding. Menzbier’s Marmot is an herbivore that feeds primarily on young grasses, shoots of forbs, bulbs, and herbaceous material growing in open grasslands.
Breeding. Menzbier’s Marmotlives in multi-burrow colonies and appears to mate in burrows or soon after spring emergence. Litters of 2-3 young in the south or 4-5 young in the north are born in burrows. Some two-year-olds may be able to breed.
Activity patterns. Menzbier’s Marmots are diurnal. They are only active for 4-5 months each summer and hibernate in burrows for the remaining 7-8 months of the year. They hibernate in social groups.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Burrows are relatively complex with multiple entrances and extend up to 3 m underground. Menzbier’s Marmots overwinter in communal groups and are highly social. Group member interactions are highly amicable, and new individuals face considerable aggression and chases. Territories are frequently scent-marked using oral gland secretions. Natal dispersal occurs, and social groups typically consist of a monogamous pair (single dominant adult male and adult female), two-year-olds, one-year-olds, and young-of-the-year. Alarm call is a relatively simple, high-pitched whistle.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of Menzbier’s Marmots is declining it is listed on the Red List of Uzbekistan. Lack of knowledge about natural history impedes conservation and management. Hunting for food and poisoning them as pests appears to be significant threats in some localities. Habitat degradation due to direct anthropogenic actions and climate change within the severely limited distribution is likely the major challenge.
Bibliography. Allainé (2000), Armitage (2013a, 2014), Bibikow (1996), Mateju & Kratochvil (2013), Nikol'skii (2007b), Nikol'skii & Rumiantsev (2012), Ognev (1963), Thorington et al. (2012).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.