|
HOME --> CLASS MAMMALIA
--> ORDER RODENTIA
--> SUBORDER MYOMORPHA
--> SUPERFAMILY Muroidea
--> FAMILY Muridae
--> SUBFAMILY Gerbillinae
--> GENUS Rhombomys
SPECIES Rhombomys opimus
| Author: | Lichtenstein, 1823. | | Citation: | Naturh. Abh. Eversmann's Reise: 122. | | Common Name: | Great Gerbil | | Type Locality: | Kazakhstan, Kzyl-Ordinskaya, KaraKumy Desert (see Pavlinov and Rossolimo, 1987). | | Distribution: | From S Mongolia and N China (Xinjiang, Gansu, Nei Mongolia) to Kazakhstan, Iran, Afghanistan, and SW Pakistan (Corbet, 1987c, Ma et al., 1987; Wang, 2003; Zhou et al., 2000). | | Status: | IUCN – Lower Risk (lc). | | Comments: | Reviewed by Pavlinov et al. (1990). Regional reviews cover Pakistan (Roberts, 1977), Iran (Lay, 1967), Afghanistan (Hassinger, 1973), Russia and adjacent regions (Gromov and Erbajeva, 1995), and N China (Xinjiang, Gansu, and Nei Mongolia; Ma et al., 1987; Zhang et al., 1997; Zhou et al., 2000). Rhombomys opimus is unique among gerbils in having hypsodont, evergrowing (rootless) molars with cement in the reentrant angles, but Pavlinov (1982b, 1996) found a few old individuals with rooted molars from several localities in Iran; however, this discovery does not help clarify taxonomic status of the species. Chromosomal data summarized by Qumsiyeh and Schlitter (1991). Morphology and schmelzmuster of rootless molars in relation to jaw motion documented by Koenigswald et al. (1994) and compared to 24 other extant rodent genera. Phallic morphology described by Yang et al. (1992). Age identification and population structure of Chinese population reported by Zhou et al. (2002), who also mapped the nine different dry habitats in N China occupied by R. opimus, noting that its distribution has been altered there through human activities. |
|
| Offspring: | Synonyms:
alaschanicus Matschie, 1911
dalversinicus Kashkarov, 1926
fumicolor Heptner, 1933
giganteus Buchner, 1889
major Burdelov, 1989
minor Burdelov, 1989
nigrescens Satunin, 1903
pallidus Wagner, 1841
pevzovi Heptner, 1939
sargadensis Heptner, 1939
sodalis Goodwin, 1939
|
|
|
