Tarabul's Gerbil

conservation

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (nt) as G. riggenbachi, Lower Risk (lc) as G. tarabuli.

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

Discussion: Subgenus Gerbillus. Usually listed as a synonym of G. pyramidum (see Pavlinov et al., 1990), Lay et al. (1975) noted that tarabuli could be distinguished by morphological traits. Future inquiry, according to Lay (1983: 347) " ... should examine the possibility that the 2 n = 40 ... forms reported from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Senegal ... are conspecific and may be referable to G. tarabuli. " Granjon et al. (1999) have examined the distribution of samples with the 2 n = 40 complement and using analyses of G- and C-banding and morphometric data redefined the species limits of G. tarabuli and its geographic distribution, as outlined above. Diploid number and other chromosomal traits confirmed by Chetoui et al. (2002) in Tunisian sample. Lay (1983) felt hamadensis, named as a subspecies of G. pyramidum by Ranck (1968), should provisionally be included in G. tarabuli. Granjon et al. (1999) explained why riggenbachi (formerly recorded from the type locality at Rio de Oro in Western Sahara and south on the coast at Lagwera, near border with Mauritania (see map in Aulagnier and Thevenot, 1986) and N Senegal (Duplantier et al., 1991 a) is a synonym of G. tarabuli; riggenbac

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

Distribution: Ranges from N Senegal and S Mauritania (Bâ et al., 2001; Dobigny et al., 2002 b; Duplantier et al., 1991 a; Duplantier and Granjon, 1992; Granjon et al., 1992, as cf pyramidum; Granjon et al., 2002 b) westward to the Cyrenaican Plateau of Libya (Ranck, 1968) and the Tibesti Mtns of Chad (Setzer and Ranck, 1971; Granjon et al., 1999: 305).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

COMMENTS: Usually listed as a synonym of G. pyramidutn, G. tarabuli can be distinguished by morphological traits (Lay et al., 1975). Future inquiry, according to Lay (1983: 347) " should examine the possibility that the 2 N = 40 ... forms reported from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Senegal ... are conspecific and may be referable to G. tarabuli. "

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae