Great gerbil
| Great gerbil | ||||||||||||
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Great gerbil ( Jaculus orientalis ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Jaculus orientalis | ||||||||||||
| Erxleben , 1777 |
The great gerbil ( Jaculus orientalis ) is a rodent from the family of jerboa (Dipodidae) found in North Africa .
features
Large gerbils reach a head-trunk length of 9.5 to 16.0 and a tail length of 12.8 to 25.0 centimeters and an average weight of 139.1 grams in the somewhat heavier males. The coat color is light sand-colored or yellowish brown on the top and whitish gray to light yellowish on the underside. Due to their large eyes and ears and a fine nose, they have very good eyesight, hearing and smell. This means that they are well adapted to their predominantly nocturnal lifestyle. They are also able to perceive chemical cues and vibrations. The tail shows a bushy end tassel, half black and half white. The back legs are about four times as long as the front legs. In genetic studies of animals from Egypt, a diploid chromosome set of 2n = 48 chromosomes was determined. The total number of chromosomes is 96 in females and 95 in males. Of the 48 chromosomes, the X chromosome is always submetacentric , while the Y chromosome is telocentric .
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the great gerbil extends from Morocco to Algeria , Tunisia , Libya and Egypt to Israel . They live in desert-like areas, meadows rich in bushes and rocky valleys. In cornfields they appear at times to be harmful.
Way of life
Large gerbils are nocturnal. They stay in their underground burrows during the day. A bedroom is padded with camel hair or parts of plants. The widely ramified duct system of their caves can have a length of 1.0 to 2.5 and a depth of 0.75 to 1.75 meters. In most cases it has an emergency exit. Their diet consists primarily of roots, seeds and other parts of plants that are dug up with the short front paws. Sometimes insects are also eaten. Most of the water required comes from food. If liquid is accepted from open water points, they dip their front paws into the water and then lick them off. In the sitting position, they lean on their long tail. With regard to breeding behavior, there is little information available from nature due to the hidden way of life. The species is considered polygamous and has offspring once a year, usually between February and July. This consists of two to eight young animals that are born blind and naked and whose front and rear legs are initially the same length. Sexual maturity occurs after eight to twelve months. The predators include the Rüppellfuchs ( Vulpes rueppellii ) as well as Vulpes , snakes (Serpentes) and owls (Strigiformes). On the run, they can jump up to a meter high and up to three meters with the help of their strong hind legs.
Danger
Due to its extensive distribution area, the great gerbil is classified by the World Conservation Organization IUCN as 
( least concern = not endangered). As they sometimes occurs as a grain pest in parts of North Africa, but it is in some areas of fighting . In addition, the jerboas serve as food for some Bedouins or their fur is used as an ornament. However, just like the removal of individual animals from the wild and passing them on to the pet trade, this has not led to any noteworthy decline in populations.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Whitney Wiest, Animal Diversity Web Jaculus orientalis, greater Agyptian jerboa , University of Michigan, USA, Museum of Zoology, accessed August 6, 2017.
- ↑ Adel A. Basyouny Shahin & Abdel Twab M. Ata: A comparative study on the karyotype and meiosis of the jerboas Allactaga and Jaculus (Rodentia: Dipodidae) in Egypt , Zoology in the Middle East, Vol. 22, 2001 ( doi : 10.1080 /09397140.2001.10637844 )
- ^ IUCN Red List
Web links
- zoodirektoren.de - Association of Zoological Gardens
- Great gerbil (Jaculus orientalis) in the Encyclopedia of Life . Retrieved August 11, 2017.