Spermophilus xanthoprymnus ( Bennett, 1835 )

Özkurt, Şakir Önder, Sözen, Mustafa, Yiğit, Nuri, Kandemir, Irfan, Çolak, Reyhan, Gharkheloo, Mohammed Moradi & Çolak, Ercüment, 2007, Taxonomic status of the genus Spermophilus (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Turkey and Iran with description of a new species, Zootaxa 1529, pp. 1-15 : 7-8

Spermophilus xanthoprymnus ( Bennett, 1835) . Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1835:90.

1835. Citellus [sic] xanthoprymna Bennett. Observations on several Mammalia from Trebizond and Erseroum, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, pp: 89- 90.

1877. Spermophilus xanthoprymnus Danford and Alston. On the Mammals of Asia Minor, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, pp: 277-278.

Type locality. “Erzurum”, Turkey.

Distribution. This species lives in steppe areas and mountain slopes in central and eastern Anatolia and in northwestern Iran ( Figure 1 ).

External characters. Dorsum is light brown or reddish brown with a yellow tone. A demarcation line between flanks and venter typically is absent; a pronounced line was present in two specimens. There is generally a white ring around the eyes and behind the ears. Venter is yellow, grey and white speckled. The tail is the same coloration as the body ventrally and dorsally. The hairs of the tail are longer than those of the body. Forefoot is yellow and hind foot is a pale whitish ( Figure 2 ).

Cranial characters. The general morphological features are the same as in S. citellus ( Figure 4 ). The anterior surface of the incisors is mostly yellow. The posterior palatal foramina are generally (90% of specimens) located anterior to a line passing between M2 and M3. There is a spine-like (40% of specimens) or triangular (60% of specimens) process in the medial posterior margin of the palate.

Dentition. The dental formula is the same as in S. citellus . Pm1 has 1 root. Pm2, M1, M2, and M3 have 3 roots. Pm1 has 2 roots (one specimen has 3 roots), M1, M2,and M3 have 4 roots.

Karyology. In the present study, specimens from Digor, Özalp and Başkale in Turkey and from Makü in Iran had a karyotype of 2n= 42, NF= 78, NFa= 74. The X chromosome is submetacentric and the Y chromosome is the smallest acrocentric. The autosomal chromosomal complement is comprised of 17 pairs of biarmed and 3 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes.

Specimens from Ereġli (Konya) and from Sarız (Kayseri) in Turkey had a karyotype of 2n= 42, NF= 80, NFa= 76. The X chromosome is submetacentric and the Y chromosome is the smallest acrocentric. The autosomal chromosomal complement is comprised of 18 pairs of bi-armed and 2 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of Spermophilus species in Turkey and Iran.: Spermophilus citellus,: S. xanthoprymnus,

FIGURE 2. Dorsal and ventral aspects of Spermophilus species in Turkey: a) S. citellus from Thrace; b) Spermophilus torosensis sp. nov. from type locality in Akseki; and c) S. xanthoprymnus from type locality in Erzurum.

FIGURE 4. Dorsal aspects of skulls of Spermophilus: a) S. torosensis sp. nov.; b) S. citellus; c) S. xanthoprymnus; and d) S. fulvu s.