Tamarisk racing rat
| Tamarisk racing rat | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Meriones tamariscinus | ||||||||||||
| ( Pallas , 1773) |
The tamarisk racing rat ( Meriones tamariscinus ), also tamarisk gerbil, is a rodent from the genus of racing rats ( Meriones ) within the gerbil (Gerbillinae). It is common in arid regions over large parts of Asia.
features
The tamarisk racing rat reaches a head-trunk length of 13.5 to 19.0 centimeters with a tail of 11.5 to 15.0 centimeters in length . The rear foot length is about 32 to 39 millimeters, the ear length 15 to 21 millimeters. Accordingly, it is a comparatively large species of the genus, it is larger than the midday rat ( Meriones meridianus ). The back fur is regionally variable from sand yellow to rust red brown or gray, the peritoneum completely white or pale gray. The tail is two-colored with a dark brown top with black tips of hair and a sharply defined white underside, towards the tip the hair becomes longer and forms a tail tassel. The soles of the hind feet are completely hairy and have elongated brown spots, the claws are almost white.
The skull has a total length of 36 to 44 millimeters and is thus longer than that of the noon rat. The tympanic bladder (Bulla tympanica) is slightly smaller than the related species and reaches about 27% of the total length of the skull. The outside of the upper incisors has a distinct longitudinal furrow.
distribution
The tamarisk racing rat is common over much of Asia. The distribution area extends from the north of the Caucasus via Russia , Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , Tajikistan , Kyrgyzstan to the west and south of Mongolia and the north of the People's Republic of China . In China, the distribution area includes large parts of Xinjiang , Gansu and Nei Mongol .
Way of life
The tamarisk racing rat lives in dry semi-desert and desert areas and prefers grass steppe areas and sandy scrubland. The animals have the highest population densities in dry rivers, but unlike other gerbils they also occur in salt areas and in the area of wooded edges. The maximum population density is 20 to 30 animals per hectare. The animals live in families and build their burrows under tree roots and bushes, these usually have two to four entrances and reach lengths of up to six meters. The nests are created at a depth of around 50 to 250 centimeters and covered with feathers and plant fibers. In contrast to the Mongolian racing rat ( Meriones unguiculatus ), the animals are primarily nocturnal. They are agile and can cover distances of up to 1.5 kilometers. They are primarily herbivorous and feed mainly on green parts of plants, in addition they use various seeds and fruits (such as those of tamarisks ) as well as insects and smaller rodents as food. Like other rodents, they set up stores that contain up to 4.5 kilograms of food.
Reproductive activity can take place throughout the year, but decreases or does not occur in winter. It begins in February to March in the western areas of the distribution area and in March in April in the eastern regions and lasts at least six months. Overwintered females usually give birth three times a year, the number of young animals per litter ranges from one to twelve and averages four to five.
Systematics
The tamarisk racing rat is often classified as an independent species within the racing rats ( Meriones ), which consists of about 20 species. The first scientific description comes from the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas, who described the species in 1773 using individuals from Saraichik in Kazakhstan. It is assigned to the subgenus Meriones as the only species due to clear morphological differences to all other species .
Status, threat and protection
The tamarisk racing rat is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as not endangered (least concern). This is justified with the very large distribution area and the frequent occurrence of the species. Potential threats are not known for the species. In parts of the range, especially in Mongolia, habitat degradation is a potential threat, and the overexploitation of tamarisk stocks by domesticated camels is a local problem. In addition, water sources are drying up in parts of the range.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Tamarisk Gerbil. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 250-251.
- ↑ a b c d e f Meriones tamariscinus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.2. Posted by: K. Tsytsulina, N. Formozov, B. Sheftel, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
- ↑ a b Meriones (Meriones) tamariscinus . In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
literature
- Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Tamarisk Gerbil. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 250-251.
Web links
- Meriones tamariscinus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.2. Posted by: K. Tsytsulina, N. Formozov, B. Sheftel, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2016.