Gerbilliscus guineae (Thomas, 1910)

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 : 617-618

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Guinean Gerbil

Gerbilliscus guineae

French: Gerbille de Guinée / German: Guinea-Nacktsohlenrennmaus / Spanish: Gerbillo de Guinea

Other

common names: Guinea Gerbil

Taxonomy. Tatera guineae Thomas, 1910 ,

Gunnal, Guinea-Bissau.

Gerbilliscus guineae was considered a valid species by D. R. Rosevear in 1969, R. Mat- they and F. Petter in 1970, P. J. J. Bates in 1985, I. Ya. Pavlinov in 1997, and J. C. Gautun and colleagues in 1985, on basis of morphological and chromosomal stud- ies. Other authors, among them D. H. S. Davis in 1975, included it in the G. robustus species group. Further morphometric, cytogenetic and molecular studies, especially those by L. Granjon in 2005, by P. Colangelo and team and V. T. Volobouev and colleagues, both in 2007, and by L. Granjon and colleagues in 2012 support treatment of G. guineae as a valid species and confirm its distribution in West Africa. Monotypic.

Distribution. W Africa, from Senegal E to C Benin.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 102-178 mm, tail 151-198 mm, ear 18-23-5 mm, hindfoot 28-38 mm; weight 45-110 g. A medium-sized to large gerbil, the Guinean Gerbil is characterized by brown-gray dorsal pelage and white venter. Long feet are white above. Bicolored hairy tail is long (c.110-140% of head-body length) and has terminal pencil of dark hairs. Females bear four pairs of mammae. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 50, FNa = 64.

Habitat. Guinean and Sudanian woodland savanna. The Guinean Gerbil can live in lateritic to claysoils with sufficient grass and bush cover. It is found also in fallow lands and cultivated fields.

Food and Feeding. Guinean Gerbils are probably herbivorous, with predominance of seeds, and occasional inclusion of some insects.

Breeding. Reproduction seems to be more marked during rainy season and beginning of dry season. Each female may bear 4-6 embryos.

Activity patterns. Guinean Gerbils are nocturnal and terrestrial. They dig deep burrows (up to 50 cm beneath soil surface) with many entrances, which are concealed by soil during day.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Guinean Gerbils have large home ranges (1400-1500 m?) and do not move far (average distance between two captures of

same individual was 21 m). There are no data abouttheir behavior. They are not very abundant: 4 ind/ha counted in Senegal savannas.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Guinean Gerbil faces no major threats and has a large range.

Bibliography. Empty list: Not yet processed by Ferran (& then reviewed by Marc).

Figures

Distribution. W Africa, from Senegal E to C Benin.