61.

Giffard’s Gerbil

Gerbilliscus giffardi

French: Gerbille de Giffard / German: Giffard-Nacktsohlenrennmaus / Spanish: Gerbillo de Giffard

Taxonomy. Tatera giffardi Wroughton, 1906,

Gambaga, Ghana.

Initially synonymized with G. kempii by some authors, G. giffardi was restored to full species status by L.. Granjon and colleagues in 2012 and treated as valid by A. Monadjem and coworkers in 2015. It is distinguished by a unique chromosomal formula, as identified by V. T. Volobouev and colleagues in 2007, and is distinct also on molecular grounds. It is sister taxon of

G. guineae and is distant from G. kempii . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from a few scattered localities in Sudano-Guinean woodland savannas in E Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, SW Niger, and Benin; it probably occurs more widely in W Africa.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 145 mm,tail 172 mm, ear 17-23 mm, hindfoot 33 mm; weight 111 g. A large gerbil, Giffard’s Gerbil has a tail slightly longer (120%) than head-body length and with a discrete terminal tuft. Chromosomal complementis 2n = 46, FN = 64.

Habitat. Savanna woodlands.

Food and Feeding. Like other representatives of the genus, Giffard’s Gerbilis probably herbivorous and granivorous, with occasional addition ofinsects to diet.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Giffard’s Gerbil is probably nocturnal and terrestrial, and digs burrows.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Granjon et al. (2012), Monadjem et al. (2015), Volobouev, Aniskin et al. (2007).