Fat-tailed jerboa

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Fat-tailed jerboa
Systematics
Subclass : Higher mammals (Eutheria)
Superordinate : Euarchontoglires
Order : Rodents (Rodentia)
Family : Jerboa (Dipodidae)
Subfamily : Allactaginae
Genre : Fat-tailed jerboa
Scientific name
Pygeretmus
Gloger , 1841

Fat-tailed jerboa ( Pygeretmus ) are a genus in the family jerboa within the Allactaginae with three species that occur in Kazakhstan .

  • Pygeretmus platyurus lives in two separate areas in western and eastern Kazakhstan.
  • Pygeretmus shitkovi occurs in eastern Kazakhstan.
  • The common hare ( Pygeretmus pumilio ) is currently counted among the fat- tailed jerboa by various authors (e.g. Wilson & Reeder), previously it was placed in its own genus ( Alactagulus ) (e.g. Nowak).

description

The species resemble in general physique gerbils ( jaculus ) with a thickened tail. The head-trunk length is 7.5 to 9.5 cm for P. platyurus and about 10 to 12 cm for P. shitkovi . The tail is usually a little longer than the rest of the body. When the adipose tissue of the tail is fully developed, it can be 12 mm in diameter. In contrast to closely related jerboa, the tail lacks the tassel. In P. platyurus the hind paws are about 3.0 to 3.5 cm long and in P. shitkovi about half a centimeter longer. The hind paws have five toes and the two outer ones are stunted. The coat color is sandy brown on the top and whitish on the belly.

Fat-tailed jerboa live in deserts and semi-deserts, as well as other areas with dry vegetation. The animals are nocturnal and stay on the ground. They only dig simple underground burrows that are up to 20 cm long and up to 15 cm deep. The hibernation takes the most out of October to April. In addition to plant parts, these rodents feed on spiders and insects . Fat-tailed jerboa probably only mate once a year with up to six offspring per litter.

All species are listed as not endangered by the IUCN .

literature

  • Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Volume 2. 6th edition. 1999, pp. 1343-1344, online .
  2. ↑ Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Ed.): Mammal Species of the World . A taxonomic and geographic Reference . 3. Edition. 2 volumes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 (English, Pygeretmus. ).
  3. ^ Pygeretmus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011. Accessed June 1, 2012.