Taterillus arenarius Robbins 1974

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Muridae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 1189-1531 : 1243

Taterillus arenarius Robbins 1974

Taterillus arenarius Robbins 1974 , Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 87: 399.

Type Locality: Mauritania, Trarza Region, Tiguent.

Vernacular Names: Robbins's Tateril.

Distribution: N Sahelian savanna and subdesert from Mauritania through Mali to Niger (see Robbins, 1974); eastern limits unknown although Sicard et al. (1988) believed the species to be confined to the left bank of the Niger River.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: In a detailed multivariate analysis, Robbins (1974) compared his new species with samples of T. gracilis and T. pygargus . The latter and T. arenarius are sympatric in S Mauritania. Results from a chromosome banding study (R- and C-bands) of T. arenarius as reported by Volobouev and Granjon (1996:45), "revealed the presence of an XX/XY 1 Y 2 sex-chromosome system in the karyotype [2n = 30/31, FNa = 36], as found previously in three other congeneric species." Ecology and membership in small mammal community of SW Mauritania discussed by Granjon et al. (2002 b).