111.

Sudan Gerbil

Gerbillus nancillus

French

: Gerbille du Soudan / German: Sudan-Rennmaus / Spanish: Gerbillo de Sudan

Taxonomy. Gerbillus nancillus Thomas & Hinton, 1923,

“Plains of Darfur....45 miles [= 72 km] N.of El Fasher,” Sudan .

D. M. Lay in 1983 discussed the validity of G. nancillus, which was revised by I. Ya. Pavlinov and colleagues in 1990. A. Ndiaye and colleagues in 2014 confirmed validity of this species through a molecular phylogeny and extended its distribution to Senegal . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from scattered localities in Sahelian savannas of Senegal, Mali, Niger, and Sudan; also recorded from SE Egypt.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 55-69 mm, tail 76-89 mm, ear 10-11-5 mm, hindfoot 15-18 mm; weight 7-11 g. The Sudan Gerbil is a very small gerbil with naked soles of feet. Sandy to orange-brown dorsal pelage contrasts with pure white venter; white hairs are visible around eyes and behind ears, and feet are white. Long tail (120-140% of head-body length) is bicolored and ends in a small pencil. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 52, FNa = b4.

Habitat. Sandy and silty soils either in Sahelian savanna with Cenchrus biflorus ( Poaceae) or in cultivated fields (fallows, millet or sorghum).

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. One collected female had four embryos.

Activity patterns. The Sudan Gerbil is nocturnal and terrestrial, digging burrows.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Sudan Gerbils are poorly known; they are captured rarely in traditional traps.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Dobigny, Nomao & Gautun (2002), Granjon & Duplantier (2009), Lay (1983), Musser & Carleton (2005), Ndiaye et al. (2014), Pavlinov et al. (1990), Tranier & Julien-Laferriere (1990).