Iranian jerboa

Species of rodent

Iranian jerboa
Conservation status

Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Dipodidae
Genus: Allactaga
Subgenus: Allactaga
Species:
A. firouzi
Binomial name
Allactaga firouzi
Womochel, 1978

The Iranian jerboa (Allactaga firouzi) is a rodent of the family Dipodidae and subfamily Allactaginae.[2] They are characteristically known as hopping rodents and have only been found in a small population in Iran. Iranian jerboa are microhabitat specialist, they require a particular environment to provide them with specific conditions suitable for living.[3]

Physical appearance

Similar to the other jerboas in the genus Allactaga, the Iranian jerboa are small hopping rodents of desert regions and have large ears and a long tail. The tail assists and serves as support when the jerboa is standing upright.[4] They have long hind feet and short forelegs.[5] The forelimbs of the jerboa serve as a pair of hands for feeding, grooming, etc.[6]

Predation

Iranian jerboas were found on flat plains with a gravel and little vegetation. Low vegetation areas help them see predators more easily, allowing them to return to burrows quickly.[3] Similar to most jerboas, the Iranian Jerboa avoids brightly moonlit nights to decrease the chance of predation.

Phylogeny

Compared to other jerboas in the same genus, Iranian jerboas are most related to Allactaga hotsoni.[7]

Burrows/tunnels

It is a nocturnal[8][9] animal, spending the day in burrows. The Iranian Jerboas are one of the few jerboas that have different types of burrows. They make a different burrow in the summer and winter.[10] The winter burrows have deeper tunnels, for protection during hibernation from predators and harsh winters.[11]

Diet

This jerboa has a vegetarian diet of Anabasis and Peganum harmala.[3]

References

  1. ^ Kennerley, R. (2016). "Allactaga firouzi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T855A22202302. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T855A22202302.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Holden, M. E. and G. G. Musser. 2005. Family Dipodidae. Pp. 871–893 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
  3. ^ a b c Naderi, Gholamreza. "Investigation of Habitat Preferences of Iranian Jerboa." MammaliaWinter 75.2 (2011): 183. ArticleReach. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.
  4. ^ Kirmiz, John P. Adaptation to Desert Environment; A Study on the Jerboa, Rat and Man. London: Butterworths, 1962. 17. Print.
  5. ^ Lagassé, Paul. "Jerboa." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. New York: Columbia UP, 2000. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.
  6. ^ Kirmiz, John P. Adaptation to Desert Environment; A Study on the Jerboa, Rat and Man. London: Butterworths, 1962. 29. Print.
  7. ^ Dianat, Malahat. "Molecular Phylogeny of the Iranian Plateau Five-toed Jerboa, Allactaga (Dipodidea: Rodentia), Inferred from MtDNA." Mammalia Winter 77.1 (2012): 98. Print.
  8. ^ Iranian Jerboa (Allactaga firouzi) Archived 2010-10-31 at the Wayback Machine. Edgeofexistence.org (2006-08-09). Retrieved on 2012-12-29.
  9. ^ Dipodidae – birch mice, jerboas, jumping mice. Wildlife Journal Junior. Nhptv.org. Retrieved on 2012-12-29.
  10. ^ Ercüment, Colak. "Ecology and Biology of Allactaga Elater, Allactaga Euphratica and Allactaga Williamsi (Rodentia: Dipodidae) in Turkey." Tr. J. of Zoology (1996): 105.Tr. J. of Zoology. Web. 3 Oct. 2013. <http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/issues/zoo-98-22-2/zoo-22-2-3-97042.pdf Archived 2013-12-03 at the Wayback Machine>.
  11. ^ Mohammadi, Saeed. "Burrow System of Iranian Jerboa (Allactaga Firouzi Womochel)." Acta Zoológica Mexicana 26.2 (2010): 457. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.
  • v
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Extant species of family Dipodidae
Sicistinae
Sicista
(Birch mice)
  • Armenian birch mouse (Sicista armenica)
  • Northern birch mouse (Sicista betulina)
  • Caucasian birch mouse (Sicista caucasica)
  • long-tailed birch mouse (Sicista caudata)
  • Chinese birch mouse (Sicista concolor)
  • Kazbeg birch mouse (Sicista kazbegica)
  • Kluchor birch mouse (Sicista kluchorica)
  • Nordmann's birch mouse (Sicista loriger)
  • Altai birch mouse (Sicista napaea)
  • gray birch mouse (Sicista pseudonapaea)
  • Severtzov's birch mouse (Sicista severtzovi)
  • Strand's birch mouse (Sicista strandi)
  • Southern birch mouse (Sicista subtilis)
  • Tien Shan birch mouse (Sicista tianshanica)
  • Hungarian birch mouse (Sicista trizona)
Zapodinae
(Jumping mice)
Eozapus
  • Chinese jumping mouse (Eozapus setchuanus)
Napaeozapus
  • Woodland jumping mouse (Napaeozapus insignis)
Zapus
  • Meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius)
  • Western jumping mouse (Zapus princeps)
  • Pacific jumping mouse (Zapus trinotatus)
Allactaginae
(Jerboas)
Allactaga
Subgenus Allactaga
Iranian jerboa (Allactaga firouzi)
Hotson's jerboa (Allactaga hotsoni)
great jerboa (Allactaga major)
Svertzov's jerboa (Allactaga severtzovi)
Subgenus Orientallactaga
Balikun jerboa (Allactaga balikunica)
Gobi jerboa (Allactaga bullata)
Mongolian five-toed jerboa (Allactaga sibirica)
Allactodipus
  • Bobrinski's jerboa (Allactodipus bobrinskii)
Pygeretmus
  • lesser fat-tailed jerboa (Pygeretmus platyurus)
  • dwarf fat-tailed jerboa (Pygeretmus pumilio)
  • greater fat-tailed jerboa (Pygeretmus shitkovi)
Scarturus
  • small five-toed jerboa (Scarturus elater)
  • Euphrates jerboa (Scarturus euphratica)
  • four-toed jerboa (Scarturus tetradactyla)
  • Vinogradov's jerboa (Scarturus vinogradovi)
  • Williams's jerboa (Scarturus williamsi)
Cardiocraniinae
(Jerboas)
Cardiocranius
  • five-toed pygmy jerboa (Cardiocranius paradoxus)
Salpingotulus
  • Baluchistan pygmy jerboa (Salpingotulus michaelis)
Salpingotus
Subgenus Anguistodontus
thick-tailed pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus crassicauda)
Subgenus Prosalpingotus
Heptner's pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus heptneri)
pale pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus pallidus)
Thomas's pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus thomasi)
Subgenus Salpingotus
Kozlov's pygmy jerboa (Salpingotus kozlovi)
Dipodinae
(Jerboas)
Dipus
  • northern three-toed jerboa (Dipus sagitta)
Eremodipus
  • Lichtenstein's jerboa (Eremodipus lichtensteini)
Jaculus
  • Blanford's jerboa (Jaculus blanfordi)
  • lesser Egyptian jerboa (Jaculus jaculus)
  • greater Egyptian jerboa (Jaculus orientalis)
Stylodipus
  • Andrews's three-toed jerboa (Stylodipus andrewsi)
  • Mongolian three-toed jerboa (Stylodipus sungorus)
  • thick-tailed three-toed jerboa (Stylodipus telum)
Paradipus
  • comb-toed jerboa (Paradipus ctenodactylus)
Euchoreutinae
(Jerboas)
Euchoreutes
  • long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso)
Category
Taxon identifiers
Allactaga firouzi