Scarturus vinogradovi (Argyropulo, 1941)

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Dipodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 81-100 : 93

20.

Vinogradov’s Jerboa

Scarturus vinogradovi

French: Gerboise de Vinogradov / German: Vinogradov-Pferdespringer / Spanish: Jerbo de Vinogradov

Taxonomy. Allactaga elater vinogradovi Argyropulo, 1941 ,

Burnoye , Jambyl Region, Kazakhstan .

Previously included in the genus Allactaga and later Paralactaga, which has recently been found to be ajunior synonym of Scarturus. In the past, S. vinogradovi was considered a subspecies of S. elater . Morphologically, it is in the subgenus Microallactaga, the sister group of subgenus Paralactaga. Genetically, S. vinogradovi issister to one of the genetic lineages from S. elater complex. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

S.v.vinogradoviArgyropulo,1941—SKazakhstan,NKyrgyzstan,andEUzbekistan.

S. v. toussi Darvish et al., 2008 — NE Iran.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 100-130 mm, tail 175-200 mm, ear 35-42 mm, hindfoot 53-60 mm; weight 63-78 g. There is no significant secondary sexual dimorphism. Condylo-basal lengths of skulls are 27-30 mm, zygomatic breadths are 20-5-23-4 mm, and maxillary tooth row lengths are 5-5-6-2 mm. Head and dorsum are light grayish ocherous; sides and ventral pelage are pure white; and tail banner is wide and well flattened, with small whitish ocherous basal spot, relatively long (30-35 mm) black subterminal field, and medium-length (15-25 mm) white terminal tuft. Toes of hindfeet are naked from below; conic calluses at bases of toes are large and high, with wide bases and rounded apexes. Auditory bullae are distinct but not strongly inflated. Mastoid cavity is medium-sized and not subdivided into sections; tympanic cavity is extremely small. Front surfaces of incisors are white; incisors are weakly deflected forward. P' is 1-7-1-8 times smaller in diameter than M?. Molars are medium-crowned, with terraced masticatory surfaces; crown heights of unworn molars are 80-90% of their lengths. Glans penis is heart-shaped, 4-4—4-7 mm long and 3-3-1 mm wide, somewhat compressed in dorso-ventral direction, subdivided by deep longitudinal dorsal fold into two lateral lobes; surfaces of lobes are covered by single-vertex, backward-directed aciculae increasing in size in backward direction; and aciculae cover all surfaces of lobes and are arranged in 7-8 concentric rows, with 7-8 aciculae in each row. Os penis (baculum) is absent. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 48 and FN = 96.

Habitat. Semi-desert belt in mountain foothills, preferring flat areas with clay and loamy soils at elevations of 800-1200 m.

Food and Feeding. In spring, Vinogradov’s Jerboa eats green plant shoots; in early summer, it eats seeds (88% by volume), green plant parts (10%), roots (1%), and insects (1%).

Breeding. Pregnant Vinogradov’s Jerboas were recorded in March—June and August—September. Litters have 1-6 young (average range 3-4-4-1). Adult females produce 2-3 litters/year. Yearlings born in spring become sexually matured probably in autumn at 2-5-3-5 months old; those born in autumn are mature in the next spring at c.4 months old.

Activity patterns. Vinogradov’s Jerboa is nocturnal. Hibernation lasts 4-4-5 months from mid-October/Novemberto end of February/mid-March.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Summer burrows of Vinogradov’s Jerboas are simple and usually have one main tunnel starting at the ground’s surface, typically with plugged entrance and ending with a nest chamber 7-15 cm in diameter and 18-82 cm deep (usually 40 cm). In most cases, burrows have 1-3 additional tunnels ending with emergency exits; total lengths of tunnels are 38-96 cm. Winter burrows have no emergency exits but have 1-3 additional chambers placed along the main tunnel at different depths (hibernation chambers); winter burrows are 161-178 cm long and 61-89 cm deep. A Vinogradov’s Jerboa builds several night shelter burrows in its home range and escapes into them when threatened.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List (as Allactaga vinogradouvi). Vinogradov’s Jerboais rare, with a relatively small distribution. Overall population is rapidly declining due to ploughing of previously uncultivated areas.

Bibliography. Darvish et al. (2008), Dianat et al. (2013), Moshtaghi et al. (2016), Shenbrot et al. (2008).

Figures

15. Williams's Jerboa (Scarturus williamsi), 16. Syrian Five-toed Jerboa (Scarturus aulacotis), 17. Euphrates Jerboa (Scarturus euphraticus), 18. Hotson' ’ s Five-toed Jerboa (Scarturus hotsoni), 19. Small Five-toed Jerboa (Scarturus elater), 20. Vinogradov’s Jerboa (Scarturus vinogradovi), 21. Four-toed Jerboa (Scarturus tetradactylus), 22. Greater Fat-tailed Jerboa (Pygeretmus shitkovi), 23. Lesser Fat-tailed Jerboa (Pygeretmus platyurus), 24. Dwarf Fat-tailed Jerboa (Pygeretmus pumilio), 26. Northern Three-toed Jerboa (Dipus sagitta), 27. Mongolian Three-toed Jerboa (Stylodipus andrewsi), 28. Thick-tailed Three-toed Jerboa (Stylodipus telum), 29. Dzungarian Three-toed Jerboa (Stylodipus sungorus), 30. Lichtenstein’s Jerboa (Eremodipus lichtensteini), 31. Greater Egyptian Jerboa (Jaculus orientalis), 32. Blanford’s Jerboa (Jaculus blanfordi), 33. Lesser Egyptian Jerboa (Jaculus jaculus), 34. African Hammada Jerboa (Jaculus hirtipes), 35. Arabian Jerboa (Jaculus loftusi)

Subspecies and Distribution. S.v.vinogradoviArgyropulo,1941—SKazakhstan,NKyrgyzstan,andEUzbekistan. S. v. toussi Darvish et al., 2008 — NE Iran.