121.

Mackilligin’s Gerbil

Gerbillus mackilligini

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

Other common names: Mackilligin's Dipodil

Taxonomy. Dipodillus mackilligini Thomas, 1904,

Wadi Alagai, Eastern Nubia, Egypt.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Arid deserts of SE Egypt and NE Sudan.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 72-86 mm, tail 99-138 mm, ear 12-14 mm, hindfoot 22-26 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Mackilligin’s Gerbil is a small gerbil with naked hindfoot soles. Dorsal pelage is sandy brown with some scattered black hairs, and ventral pelage, chin and throat are pure white. Tail is very long (155% of head-body length) and has very conspicuous pencil of terminal hairs.

Habitat. In Nubia, Mackilligin’s Gerbil was captured in grassy patches and bush near water beside abandoned villages atup to 750 m or in grassy valleys on Jebel Elba near Red Sea coast. It is known to occur also in open areas of bare soil in rocky plains, as well as in agricultural areas.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Nocturnal and terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Probably rare and in low abundance.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as G. mackillingini) because no major threats are reported in its range.

Bibliography. Hoogstraal (1963), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osborn & Helmy (1980).