Gerbillus campestris (Loche, 1867)

Guy G. Musser & Michael D. Carleton, 1993, Order Rodentia - Family Muridae, Mammal Species of the World (2 nd Edition), Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press, pp. 501-755 : 550

Gerbillus campestris (Loche, 1867) . Expl. Sci. Alg. Zool. Mamm., p. 106.

TYPE LOCALITY: Algeria, Constantine Prov., Philipeville .

DISTRIBUTION: N Africa, from Morocco to Egypt and Sudan.

SYNONYMS: brunnescens, cinnamomeus , dodsoni , haymani, patrizii, riparius , rozsikae, somalicus , venustus , wassifi.

COMMENTS: Nineteen species-group names have been associated with G. campestris by different authors in various combinations, as summarized by Lay (1983). He also noted that most opinions lacked supportive evidence and that some of the synonyms are unidentifiable or nomina nuda. Those names listed here are probably correctly associated with G. campestris , but the species requires refined definition through careful systematic revision. Different geographical populations are reviewed by Kowalski and Rzebik-Kowalska (1991, Algeria), Ranck (1968, Libya), and Osborn and Helmy (1980, Egypt). Benazzou and Zyadi (1990) conducted a biometric study analyzing variation among Moroccan populations. Cockrum and Setzer (1976:643) clarified the author and date of publication of campestris .