Gerbillus poecilops (Yerbury & Thomas, 1895)

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 : 639-640

131.

Large Aden Gerbil

Gerbillus poecilops

French

: Gerbille dAden / German: Grose Aden-Rennmaus / Spanish: Gerbillo de Adén

Taxonomy. Gerbillus (Dipodillus) poecilops Yerbury & Thomas, 1895 ,

Lahej, Aden, Yemen.

An Arabian endemic, G. poecilops was con- sidered a valid species by D. L.. Harrison and P. J. J. Bates in 1991 and by I. Ya. Pavlinov and team in 1990. A chromosomal study by V. T. Volobouev and colleagues in 1995 showed that G. poecilops , G. nanus , and G. henleyi share a common ancestor, with G. poecilops the basal taxon. Monotypic.

Distribution. SW Saudi Arabia and W Yemen.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 150-222 mm,tail 72-115 mm, ear 8-12 mm, hindfoot 21-27 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. This rather large gerbil has a short and broad tail lacking terminal pencil of hairs. Soles of hindfeet are naked.

Dorsal pelage is fawn to gray and underside pure white. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 52, FNa = 62.

Habitat. Coastal mountain ranges of Red Sea. The Large Aden Gerbil may be found in cultivated fields of cotton and sorghum and in farm buildings, as well as in sandy desert close to villages and houses.

Food and Feeding. The Large Aden Gerbil feeds on vegetable matter.

Breeding. Breeding may occur in spring and in summer.

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

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List owing to its ability to live close to anthropogenic habitats.

Bibliography. Harrison & Bates (1991), Pavlinov et al. (1990), Volobouev et al. (1995).

Figures

Distribution. SW Saudi Arabia and W Yemen.