97.

Hoogstraal’s Gerbil

Gerbillus hoogstraali

French: Gerbille de Hoogstraal / German: Hoogstraal-Rennmaus / Spanish: Gerbillo de Hoogstraal

Taxonomy. Gerbillus hoogstrali Lay, 1975,

Taroudannt, Morocco.

Cytogenetic and morphological characteristics of G. hoogstraaliwere described by D. M. Lay in 1983, S. Aulagnier and M. Thévenot in 1986, and I. Ya. Pavlinov and collaborators in 1990. A. Ndiaye and colleagues, in their 2012 molecular phylogeny of the Moroccan species, showed that G. hoogstraaliis sister taxon ofG. hesperinus, both belonging to an endemic Moroccan clade close to G. latastei . Monotypic.

Distribution. Souss Valley, SW Morocco.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 80-100 mm, tail 103-130 mm, ear 13-17 mm, hindfoot 26-30 mm; weight 22-30 g. A rather small gerbil, Hoogstraal’s Gerbil has sandy-brown dorsum, paler flanks, and pure white belly. Eyes are underlined by slight band ofdark hairs. Cheeks, chest, and feet are covered with white hairs. Hindfeetsoles are hairy. Long tail represents ¢.120% of head-body length,is bicolored, and has small pencil of longer and denser hairs at tip. Tympanic bullae are very inflated and protrude well beyond occipital condyle; they represent c.36% oftotal length of skull. Diploid numberis 2n = 72, FNa = 84.

Habitat. Sandysoils in Souss plain and coastal dunes with sparse low vegetation, including Ziziphus (Rhamnaceae) scrubs.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Reproduction may occur during late spring and early summer. One female bore six placental scars.

Activity patterns. Hoogstraal’s Gerbil is nocturnal and terrestrial, digging burrows at base of Ziziphus scrub.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Last captures of this endemic species were reported by F. Zyadi in 1988 close to type locality. A. Ndiaye and colleagues in 2012 did notfind it there, but succeeded in trapping some individuals of G. hoogstraali inSouss Valley. Major threats, such as development of irrigated agriculture and increase in tourism, justify Vulnerable status of this species.

Bibliography. Aulagnier & Thévenot (1986), Aulagnier et al. (2009), Happold (2013a), Lay (1983), Pavlinov et al. (1990), Ndiaye et al. (2012), Zyadi (1988).