Gerbillus simoni Lataste 1881

102.

Lesser Short-tailed Gerbil

Gerbillus simoni

French: Gerbille de Simon / German: Kleine Kurzschwanz-Rennmaus / Spanish: Gerbillo de cola corta menor

Other common names: Simon's Dipodil, Simon's Gerbil

Taxonomy. Gerbillus simoni Lataste, 1881,

Oued Magra, Algeria.

Often placed in Dipodillus, including by F. Petter in 1975, D. J. Osborn andI. Helmy in 1980, and G. G.Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005, G. simoni is now considered a member of genus Gerbillus by more recent authors. A. Abiadh and colleagues in 2010 sequenced specimens from Kerkennah Islands (Tunisia) that had been attributed to G. zakariai and were considered a valid species by Musser and Carleton in 2005; they found these specimens to be close to G. campestris but genetically distinct and with same karyotype as that of G. simoni. Consequently, D. C. D. Happold in 2013 kept G. zakariai as synonym of G. simoni. Further molecular work on G. simoni from African mainland is still needed in order to verify validity of G. zakariai, which is for the present kept in synonymy with G. simondespite some morphological differences. Monotypic.

Distribution. NE Morocco, N Algeria, Tunisia, NW & NE Libya, and coastal Egypt (W of Nile Delta).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 69-103 mm, tail 57-96 mm, ear 11-15 mm, hindfoot 18— 22 mm; weight 12-22 g. The Lesser Short-tailed Gerbil is small and characterized by a long soft fur and a short, relatively thick tail (105% of head—body length) without terminal pencil of hairs. Soles of hindfeet are naked. Dorsum is pale brown to orange brown and venter pure white. Chin, throat, limbs and feet are white. On skull, tympanic bullae are small, as are zygomatic plates. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 60, FN = 68-72.

Habitat. Coastal semiarid Mediterranean zone and arid parts of northern Sahara. The Lesser Short-tailed Gerbil lives in rich steppic environments with Stipa tenacissima (Poaceae), wormwoods (Artemisia, Asteraceae) and dry grasslands, and prefers clay, loam soils. It may be found in some cerealfields, olive groves, and fallow lands, and sometimes even in salt marshes.

Food and Feeding. Diet consists of seeds, leaves, and insects.

Breeding. Pregnant female Lesser Short-tailed Gerbils had 4-8 embryos and litter is of 4-6 young. In captivity, gestation period is 20 days and females enter estrus 18-20 days after parturition.

Activity patterns. Lesser Short-tailed Gerbils are nocturnal and terrestrial, digging shallow burrows.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Although never abundant, the Lesser Short-tailed Gerbil has a wide distribution.

Bibliography. Abiadh, Chétoui et al. (2010), Abiadh, Colangelo et al. (2010), Aulagnier et al. (2009), Chétoui & Chéniti (2005), Chétoui et al. (2002), Happold (2013a), Kowalski & Rzebik-Kowalska (1991), Lay et al. (1975), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser & Carleton (2005), Nicolas, Ndiaye et al. (2014), Osborn & Helmy (1980), Petter (1975a), Wassif (1960), Wassif et al. (1969).