A Study on Taxonomic Status of Allactaga euphratica Thomas, 1881 and Allactaga williamsi Thomas, 1897 (Rodentia : Dipodidae) in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, 272 specimens of Allactaga collected from various areas of Turkey were compared based on morphological, cranial, external, karyological, ethological and biological characters. A. euphratica and A. williamsi were found to be two separate taxa. The lack of intermediation among characters examined supported the concept that A. euphratica and A. williamsi were different species, rather than two subspecies of the same species. Resume. -Dans cette etude, 272 specimens d'Allactaga captures en differentes regions de Turquie sont etudies et compares au point de vue des caracteristiques caryologiques, ethologiques. biologiques, morphologiques, cräniennes et des mesures exterieures. On confirme que A. euphratica et A. williamsi sont deux taxons differents et parmi les caracteres etudies, 1'absence d'une /one d'hybridation dans la region supporte le fait que ces taxons ne sont pas des sousespeces differentes d'une meme espece mais deux bonnes especes.

Mitochondrial sequences point on a cryptic species in five-toed jerboas, subgenus Paralactaga

“…The samples were classified into two species on the basis of their geographical origins (Çolak et al 1994, Abi-Said 2004, Holden and Musser 2005 and length of hindfoot as the only morphometric characteristic with non-overlapping ranges between the two species (Kryštufek and Vohralík 2005).…”

New records of the William’s Jerboa, Paralactaga cf. williamsi (Thomas, 1897) (Rodentia: Dipodidae) from northeastern Iran with notes on its ecology

“…Many of these investigations concluded that the habitat selection of these rodents relies mainly on the vegetation cover, climate, and elevation of their environment (Colak and Yiğit 1998;Yiğit et al 2003). Parallactaga williamsi like other jerboas prefer areas that facilitate faster bipedal locomotion, and better entrance to the burrow, so it avoids dense vegetation cover and selects more barren areas while providing it with sufficient food items Colak and Yiğit 1998;Yiğit et al 2003;Naderi et al 2011). Some other studies on its habitat selection have shown that William's Jerboa selects steppes and semi-arid areas of up to 2,500 m above sea level (Ognev 1948), or areas with sparse vegetation (Toyran and Albayrak 2009).…”

“…Its distribution range extends through Anatolia, the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran), and northwestern Iran, with an isolated population in northern Lebanon (Colak et al 1994;Wilson and Reeder 2005;Shenbrot et al 2008;Kryštufek et al 2013). In Iran, it has been reported from west and northwestern parts.…”

Habitat selection of Williams’ Jerboa (Allactaga williamsi Thomas, 1897) in Ardabil Province, Iran

“…Rodents, especially the members of the family Dipodidae, have been studied frequently as model species for investigations of habitat selection in their distributional range (Shenbrot, 1992;Rogovin and Shenbrot, 1995;Shenbrot and Rogovin, 1995;Hemami et al, 2011;Naderi et al, 2011). The results of such studies are more or less similar; for example, many of the investigations concluded that the habitat selection of many small rodents relies primarily on structural characteristics of their environment such as vegetation structure, cover, and height (Brown and Lieberman, 1973;M'Closkey, 1976;Nel, 1978;Stamp and Ohmart, 1978;Çolak and Yiğit, 1998;Yiğit et al, 2003). Jerboas select areas that facilitate entry into their burrows (for example, more barren areas with less dense vegetation cover) while providing them with sufficient food items Naderi et al, 2011).…”

“…Williams' Jerboa was described for the first time by Thomas (1897) from Turkey. Some investigations into its biology and ecology in Turkey have shown that it avoids dense vegetation and selects more barren areas (Çolak and Yiğit, 1998;Yiğit et al, 2003). Some other studies on its habitat selection have shown that Williams' Jerboa selects steppe and semisteppe areas of up to 2500 m above sea level (Ognev, 1948), or areas with sparse vegetation (Toyran and Albayrak, 2009).…”