Gerbillus nancillus, Thomas & Hinton, 1923

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Muridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 536-884 : 633

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 phy- logeny and extended its distribution to Senegal . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from scattered lo-

calities 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).

Figures

86. Ammodile (Ammodillus imbellis), 87. Pleasant Gerbil (Gerbillus amoenus), 88. Anderson’s Gerbil (Gerbillus andersoni), 89. Botta’s Gerbil (Gerbillus bottai), 90. North African Gerbil (Gerbillus campestris), 91. Flower’s Gerbil (Gerbillus floweri), 92. Algerian Gerbil (Gerbillus garamantis), 93. Lesser Egyptian Gerbil (Gerbillus gerbillus), 94. Grobben’s Gerbil (Gerbillus grobbeni), 95. Pygmy Gerbil (Gerbillus henleyi), 96. Moroccan Gerbil (Gerbillus hesperinus), 97. Hoogstraal’s Gerbil (Gerbillus hoogstraali), 98. James's Gerbil (Gerbillus jamesi), 99. Lataste’s Gerbil (Gerbillus latastei), 100. Greater Short-tailed Gerbil (Gerbillus maghrebi), 101. Occidental Gerbil (Gerbillus occiduus), 102. Lesser Short-tailed Gerbil (Gerbillus simoni), 103. Sand Gerbil (Gerbullus syrticus), 104. Tarabul Gerbil (Gerbillus tarabuli), 105. Vivacious Gerbil (Gerbillus vivax), 106. Waters’s Gerbil (Gerbillus watersi), 107. Agag Gerbil (Gerbillus agag), 108. Lowe’s Gerbil (Gerbillus lower), 109. Mauritanian Gerbil (Gerbillus mauritaniae), 110. Darfur Gerbil (Gerbillus muriculus), 111. Sudan Gerbil (Gerbillus nancillus)

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